A mysterious dot next to the Moon. What is that?
The mysterious dot visible next to the Moon is Jupiter, which is getting brighter and brighter. It is the largest planet in the solar system and has recently been visible to the naked eye. It appears above the eastern horizon around 7:30 p.m. and is visible against the relatively dark constellation of Aries – the so-called Jupiter conjunction with the Moon.
As scientists indicate, on October 2, 2023, the Moon and Jupiter will approach each other (distance 2°40′ in the sky). Thanks to the waning disk of the Moon, the planet will be visible as a bright, silver object nearby.
The evening before the conjunction is an excellent opportunity to observe the Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto). However, you need binoculars or a telescope to observe them.
Brightening Jupiter and renewed conjunction with the Moon. What else will we see in the sky?
Tonight is not the only time when we should observe the night sky. As time passes, Jupiter will rise earlier and earlier, reaching its maximum brightness at the end of the month. Thanks to this, you will be able to see it even before dusk. This will take place on November 3, 2023 – then Jupiter will be in opposition and from the Earth’s perspective it will take the opposite position towards the Sun. On the night of October 28-29, 2023, we will have another conjunction.
Source: Benchmark
2023-10-02 08:50:08
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