Christmas Star 2020: Jupiter, Saturn to meet in rare "great conjunction"
Christmas Star 2020: Jupiter, Saturn to meet in rare "great conjunction" On Monday evening, the two largest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, will appear to merge into a single source of light. It's the first visible conjunction of the giants in more than 800 years. Correspondent Mark Strassmann explains why we may not have another chance to see such an astronomical sight in your lifetime.
cbsnews.comRare ‘Christmas Star’ to be visible for first time in 800 years on Dec. 21
With this year’s winter solstice comes more than just confirmation of our already-cold weather and ever-fleeting daylight: The rare “Christmas Star” will be visible for the first time in 800 years. Each year, Earth’s northern hemisphere enters the winter solstice on Dec. 21 -- the shortest day of the year -- officially marking the start of winter. This year, bright planets Jupiter and Saturn will align perfectly on Dec. 21 to create what is commonly called the Christmas Star or the “Star of Bethlehem.”According to NASA, Jupiter and Saturn align with one another every 20 years or so, but not nearly as close together as they will be in 2020. Experts say the Christmas Star can be seen by the unaided eye just after sunset on Dec. 21, 2020. You can see Saturn and Jupiter nearly align on Dec. 21, forming what appears to be a Christmas star.