In a rare celestial event, Jupiter & Saturn to converge after 400 years

Nov. 29: The two largest planets in our solar system will be closer and closer in the night sky appearing to almost kiss. For the first time since 1623, this rare celestial phenomenon is going to take place in our solar system. The two planets will draw closer and closer in the next three weeks, until they appear together on 21 December, 2020. This event, known as a grand conjunction.

Terming this phenomenon as a rarest of rare, deputy director, Pathani Samant Planetarium here, Subhendu Patnaik said that such a great conjunction had occurred July 16, 1623 and that Jupiter and Saturn were below 0.1 degree apart. The great conjunction was then seen 13 degrees up from the eastern horizon. Jupiter and Saturn are now visible in the north-western sky after nightfall. In the next three weeks, the distance between the two planets will decrease and December 21, the distance between them will be as minimal as 0.1 degree.

While the planets look close to each other from Earth, in reality they are separated by vast distances as they orbit the Sun. While it takes Saturn nearly 30 years to complete one orbit, Jupiter takes nearly 12 years, so we see Jupiter lap Saturn every 20 years.

In addition to the two planets, one may also be able to see Saturn’s rings, the giant moon Titan and Jupiters Galilean moons Ganymede, Io, Callisto and Europa.