Tianjin, 18 Apr (Xinhua) -- What kind of sparks will be sparked when two planets "meet"? According to astronomical science experts, Jupiter and Uranus will be extremely close on 20 April, and Mars and Neptune will be extremely close on 29 April.
A close-up of Jupiter taken by Beijing starry sky photography enthusiast Pu Shi in Huairou, Beijing, September 1, 2022. (Photo courtesy of me)
The actual distance between the planets of the solar system is actually very far away, and the "intimate moment" is just a visual effect.
Wu Han, a starry sky photography enthusiast in Zhejiang, has photographed Uranus in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province for 5 consecutive years. (Photo courtesy of me)
Yang Jing, a member of the Chinese Astronomical Society and a director of the Tianjin Astronomical Society, said that in the low western sky in the evening of April, Jupiter and Uranus gradually approached, reaching their closest on the 20th, and the angular distance between the two was only about 30 arc minutes, which is equivalent to the apparent diameter of a full moon. Jupiter is magnitude -2 and Uranus is magnitude 5.8, and if you look at them just by numbers, they don't seem to differ very much, but in fact they are very different.
Manga production: Hu Yanzhu
"Jupiter, although bright, has a low horizon altitude and will set after 8 p.m., so interested members of the public should take the time to observe it after sunset. Since these two planets are not moving fast, Jupiter is not far from Uranus in the days around the 20th, and it can also be observed. Yang Jing reminded.
Tianjin starry sky photography enthusiast Hu Feng photographed Mars in Baodi, Tianjin, October 23, 2022. (Photo courtesy of me)
Jupiter's reunion with Uranus has just ended, and the other two planets in the solar system, Mars and Neptune, are also planning a reunion.
Close-up of Neptune taken by Beijing starry sky photography enthusiast Zong Haiyang on October 29, 2019. (Photo courtesy of me)
"Around the 29th of this month, Mars and Neptune passed by at very close range, and the most recent occurred at noon on the 29th, and the angular distance between the two was only about 2 arc minutes, which can be called a 'seamless' embrace. However, it was daytime on the continent at this time, so it was impossible to see. The best chance is before sunrise on the 29th, after Mars and Neptune rise above the eastern horizon, and the angular distance between the two is still close enough to be observed, but the horizon of the two stars is very low, and the dawn is approaching, and the observable time is only about half an hour. Yang Jing said.
Manga production: Hu Yanzhu
How to better observe these two planetary "encounters"? Yang Jing suggested that the public who are interested and able to do so can find an open site without light pollution and use astronomical telescopes to observe the corresponding celestial regions. Members of the public who are fond of astrophotography can try to photograph these two pairs of protagonists "in the same frame".