On December 22, the winter solstice, the last beautiful "star-moon fairy tale" of 2023 will be staged in the sky, and Jupiter, the largest of the eight planets in the solar system, will be conjunct a full gibbous moon.
When night falls, the starry sky is like a vast picture, and the star of this night is the large, shining Jupiter, dancing hand in hand with the convex moon. Let's follow in the footsteps of this fairy tale of stars and moon and delve into the back of this cosmic wonder.
This magical encounter was captured by the "Minhang Young Star", a keen survey camera recorded the romantic moment between the "little man Amu" and the "moon girl" in the dark night. This beautiful winter night seems to turn into a romantic date scene, and the two stars in the universe start a "winter love song".
In the video, Jupiter is like a giant diamond, radiating brilliance in the dark night. Since there are no other celestial bodies that are too bright around, this scene of stars and moon is very clear and the viewing effect is outstanding. A romantic story woven by the universe seems to unfold to us at this special moment.
Watching this "Star and Moon Fairy Tale" is like being brought into a mysterious fairyland. Jupiter's brightness of -2.7 magnitude is very striking in the night sky, and the appearance of the full gibbous moon together deduces a visual feast in the universe. At this moment, we gaze at the sky, as if in dialogue with the universe, and feel the endless possibilities of life.
Understand that the "conjunction" mentioned here is a term in astronomy that describes the relative position of celestial bodies. A "conjunction" occurs when two celestial bodies have the same right ascension or ecliptic longitude in the sky. Jupiter's conjunction with the Moon is a beautiful meeting of the fastest rotating planet in the solar system with the Moon in the sky.
The Moon-Jupiter encounter cycle has its own pattern, but each conjunction has a different excitement. It's reminiscent of life's encounters, sometimes by chance, sometimes shining like stars at a moment's notice. Every conjunction of the moon is a wonderful drama presented to us by the universe.
In Beijing's night sky, Liu Ning, a starry sky photography enthusiast, recorded the beauty of Jupiter's conjunction with the moon. Jupiter is not only one of the easiest objects to observe, but it is also loved by stargazers for its colorful striped cloud bands. It's a feast for the eyes and makes us want to delve deeper into the mysteries of the universe.
The Moon's movement cycle on the celestial background is about a lunar month, while Jupiter is about 12 years, so the Moon will "catch" Jupiter once a month. Jupiter's conjunction Moon is observed for about half a year every year, but due to factors such as the moon phase and the position of the sun, it is not suitable for observation every time. This also makes such an adventure of the stars and the moon particularly precious, and every encounter is a coincidence of time and space.
The Jupiter-Moon conjunction that took place on the 22nd has a special flavor. Jupiter's brightness is -2.7 magnitude, which is very striking in the night sky, and even if it is a full gibbous moon, Jupiter emits a unique light in the night sky under the light of the moon. When the two are closest to each other, it is only about 2 degrees, as if they are not far apart, like the size of four full moons. All of this presents a breathtaking natural spectacle after nightfall.
This conjunction of Jupiter and the Moon is not only a feast for the eyes, but also an instant encounter of life in the universe. The conjunction of Jupiter and the full gibbous Moon seems to tell a story full of dreams and wonders. Such wonderful moments remind us of the bits and pieces of life, and every encounter is unique, as precious as Jupiter's conjunction and moon.
The starry sky on this winter night brings us not only a visual shock, but also a reflection on life. Every star is unique in the universe, and we have our own light in this boundless universe. Let's immerse ourselves in this fairy tale of stars and moons, feel the mysterious power of the universe, and resonate with life.
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