Saturn, Jupiter Formed Rare 'Christmas Star' Monday Night That Won't Happen Again Until 2080
/ KCAL News
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — As a historically difficult and disastrous 2020 comes to an end, skywatchers urged people to look up Monday night for a ray of hope – or rather, a star of hope.
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: Jupiter (L) and Saturn appear about one-tenth of a degree apart during an astronomical event known as a Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020 in Santa Barbara, California. The planets, which remain about 450 million miles apart in space, have not appeared this close together from Earth's vantage point since 1623, and it's been nearly 800 years since the alignment occurred at night. The conjunction, which occurs on the night of the winter solstice by coincidence, has become known popularly as the "Christmas Star." The gas giants will not appear this close together again until 2080. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
Saturn and Jupiter were so close to each other Monday night, astronomers and skywatchers say they shined like a double planet. The heavenly sight, referred to by some as a "Christmas star," is an extremely rare phenomenon that last happened in the Middle Ages.
According to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the great conjunction won't happen again until 2080.
The Griffith Observatory remains closed due to the pandemic, but All Space Considered at Griffith Observatory tweeted frequently about the coming convergence.
The Ventura County Astronomical Society has also been keeping tabs on the two planets, and featuring images taken by amateur night sky photographers from various locations throughout the county.
NASA said the two planets will be visible in the southwest for those in the northern hemisphere, and staying up late or special equipment was not necessary to see this rare phenomenon – astronomers said the two planets were visible to the naked eye about 45 minutes after sunset.
Jupiter (L) and Saturn appear about one-tenth of a degree apart during an astronomical event known as a Great Conjunction above Mt. Tamalpais on December 21, 2020 in Larkspur, California. The planets, which remain about 450 million miles apart in space, have not appeared this close together from Earth's vantage point since 1623, and it's been nearly 800 years since the alignment occurred at night. The conjunction, which occurs on the night of the winter solstice by coincidence, has become known popularly as the "Christmas Star." The gas giants will not appear this close together again until 2080. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: Astronomer Blake Estes captures images of the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21, 2020 in Santa Barbara, California. The planets, which remain about 450 million miles apart in space, have not appeared this close together from Earth's vantage point since 1623, and it's been nearly 800 years since the alignment occurred at night. The conjunction, which occurs on the night of the winter solstice by coincidence, has become known popularly as the "Christmas Star." The gas giants will not appear this close together again until 2080. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
