September 26 in the United States
The ideal observation site is in a dark and dry area at a high altitude.
On the night of September 26 (US local time), the distance between Earth and Jupiter will be the closest in 70 years. This is a photo of Jupiter seen through the Hubble telescope. Photo: NASA website
湲 蹂 肄
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[아시아경제 김현정 기자] If you look up at the sky on the night of September 26 (local time in the US), you can encounter Jupiter, which is exceptionally larger and brighter than ever.
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the distance between Earth and Jupiter on that day is approximately 587.41.560 km. The maximum distance between two stars is 965.66400 km.
The reason there is such a large difference in distance is that they have different orbital periods and rotate on elliptical orbits.
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and is the fifth closest planet to the sun. The brightest stars near the moon on September 26 are Jupiter and its moons.
Jupiter has 53 named moons. But scientists believe a total of 79 satellites have been discovered. The four largest moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, are called “Galileo’s moons”. It is named after Galileo Galilei, who first observed the moon in 1610.
Jupiter’s moons are visible with binoculars or telescopes, which appear as bright spots on either side of Jupiter.
“If the weather is good for a few days before and after September 26, you will be able to see well,” NASA said.
The opposite side of Jupiter from Earth occurs every 13 months, but this time this time coincides with a larger and brighter Jupiter. NASA has recommended dark, dry areas at high altitudes as ideal observation spots.
NASA is making various efforts to study Jupiter. The Jupiter Juno rover has been in orbit around Jupiter for six years and is immersed in the exploration of the planet’s surface and its moons. Juno, who began her journey in 2011, arrived on Jupiter five years later in 2016. Since then, spacecraft have provided amazing images and data about Jupiter’s atmosphere, internal structure, magnetic field and magnetosphere. .
Scientists believe that the study of Jupiter could lead to groundbreaking discoveries about the formation of the solar system.
The next big project for exploring Jupiter is the Europa Clipper. The spacecraft plans to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa, known for its “ice shell”, and scientists aim to see if Europa has the conditions to sustain life. Europa Clipper is scheduled to launch in October 2024.
By Kim Hyun-jung, staff reporter [email protected]
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