Poster Maker: Feng Juan
The first "Star Moon Fairy Tale" of the New Year is about to be staged! According to astronomical science experts, Jupiter and the moon will appear in the sky on January 6, when if the weather is sunny and the sun sets, the interested public faces the southwest sky, and with the naked eye, it can clearly see Jupiter and the crescent moon at close range "accompanying each other" and competing for a wonderful picture of light.
Beijing astronomy enthusiast Zong Haiyang photographs Jupiter on May 17, 2017. (Courtesy of me)
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, and because of its orbital period of about 12 years, ancient China called it "the star of the year". For most of the time, Jupiter is the second brightest star in the sky after Venus, competing with it even next to the bright moon.
Xiu Lipeng, director of the Tianjin Astronomical Society and an expert in astronomical science, introduced that before and after the planetary moon, the moon and the planet are visually very close, which is a very characteristic celestial phenomenon, especially the conjunction of the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter.
Jupiter moon conjunction photographed on the evening of May 12, 2013 in Duchang County, Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua News Agency)
The best time to see the Jupiter conjunction is on the evening of January 6, when Jupiter, which is in the southwest sky after sunset, will "join hands" with a new moon on the fourth day of the first lunar month.
Both objects are very bright, and they can be seen even in cities with severe light pollution. It is worth mentioning that not far to the lower right of Jupiter there is Saturn with a brightness of magnitude 0.7.
If not flooded by intense light pollution near the Earth, the public may see a scene of "double stars and moons" in the twilight.
Tianjin astronomy enthusiast Li Yun photographed Jupiter and moon in Tianjin on the evening of November 8, 2021. (Photo courtesy of The Star Edge Mountain Wind Team)
"In addition to visual observations, interested members of the public can also use astronomical telescopes to observe Jupiter more 'up close'. In the telescope's field of view, you can have the opportunity to see some details of Jupiter and its surface, such as striped cloud bands, and you can also see 4 moons lined up near Jupiter. Xiu Lipeng said.
Jupiter moon conjunction photographed in Dalian, Liaoning Province, on the evening of December 31, 2015. (Xinhua News Agency)
Xiu Lipeng also said that Jupiter's moon is not an uncommon celestial phenomenon, because its brightness is very high, and it can be directly appreciated with the naked eye in the city. The next Jupiter conjunction occurred on February 3, 2022.
Producer: Hu Qinghai
Planner: Liu Xinhui
Reporter: Zhou Runjian
Edit: Chonghai
It was co-produced by Xinhua News Agency and Tianjin Branch of Xinhua News Agency
Produced by Starry Sky Studios