Jupiter is on the way up to levels that can be seen with the naked eye on the eastern horizon on Tuesday (19/8). The biggest planet in this solar system will also meet the crescent moon, a rare moment.
Launch Space, Jupiter will reach a magnitude of -2.5 which makes it appear very bright; the lower the magnitude, the brighter the object. Jupiter will still be visible to the naked eye at least up to magnitude 6.
The planet will continue to climb upwards as the day progresses, said geophysicist Chris Vaughan, who is also an amateur astronomer.
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Jupiter will be clearly visible and at its highest point until dawn. Or, those wishing to see Jupiter aligned with the Moon could wait until Tuesday dawn.
At that time, Jupiter will be only three degrees from the Moon in the southeast. This view also feels special because the moon that appears is a crescent moon.
The sightings will be seen between Tuesday morning and dawn. The crescent moon will accompany Jupiter once the sky begins to lighten after sunrise.
The phenomenon of Jupiter meeting the Moon follows the planetary conjunction phenomenon that occurred last June. The five planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter are in a line with the Moon.
The last time this phenomenon occurred was on March 5, 1864.
Not only that, this July, a number of other celestial phenomena will still occur. At the end of July around Thursday (28/7), a Delta Aquarids Meteor shower is predicted.
The meteor is debris from Comet 96P Machholz, a short-period Sun-eating comet that swings toward Earth every five years. The day after that, Jupiter will move eastward through the background stars near the boundary between the constellations Pisces and Cetus and will slow down and then stop.
After that, Jupiter will begin a backward loop to the west that will last until the end of November.
Around midnight in late July, Jupiter’s bright white spot will shine in the lower eastern sky. The planet will remain visible as it heads south until dusk hides it.
This is related to the retrograde phenomenon, namely the apparent motion of the planets that are seen from Earth as if they are backwards. This happens because the Earth orbits faster and closer to the Sun.
(lth/lth)
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