A Christmas Star Will Light Up The Sky Over Wisconsin

This year has been anything but ordinary, so it’s completely fitting that 2020 will end with an extremely rare celestial event. In just over a week, Jupiter and Saturn will perfectly align, creating what appears to be one large star, otherwise known as the “Christmas Star.” In a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, the two planets will be the closest they’ve been to each other since the Middle Ages!

Mark your calendar for December 21st because the “Christmas Star,” which is also known as the “Star of Bethlehem,” will brighten up the night sky.

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During the upcoming celestial event, which astronomers have dubbed the Great Conjunction of 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will appear to merge into one large, bright star.

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Conjunctions are the meeting or passing of two or more celestial bodies. They’re pretty common; they happen throughout the year as the moon regularly aligns with several planets and bright stars.

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However, the upcoming conjunction is extremely rare - and that’s because it involves Jupiter AND Saturn, two of the brightest, largest planets.

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In fact, Jupiter and Saturn haven’t aligned so closely since the 1200s! And the two planets won’t repeat the performance until 2080.

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To view the upcoming celestial show, simply look toward the southwest portion of the sky about 45 minutes after sunset on December 21st. You don’t need a telescope; however, if you do have one, you’ll be treated to views of Jupiter’s four moons — Europa, Io, Callisto, and Ganymede.

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Vivid views of Saturn and its rings are another perk of using a telescope.

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Did you know about this upcoming celestial event? Think you’ll check it out? Tell us in the comments section.