Stargazers should have their telescopes at the ready as Jupiter makes its closest pass to Earth in 59 years tonight (Monday, September 26), becoming easily visible in the night sky. The rare event will see our solar system's largest planet loom especially large and bright as it rises in the east at sunset.
Luckily you won't need any fancy equipment to see it and it will be visible with the naked eye if skies are clear. If you want to get a more detailed view, a pair of binoculars or a basic telescope will suffice to spot the bands on the planet's surface and some of the largest of its 50 moons, among which are Io, Europa, Ganeymede and Callisto.
“Outside of the Moon, it should be one of the (if not the) brightest objects in the night sky," said Adam Kobelski, Nasa Marshall Space Flight Center research astrophysicist Adam Kobelski, according to the The Independent.
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“With good binoculars, the banding (at least the central band) and three or four of the Galilean satellites (moons) should be visible," Dr Kobelski continued. "It’s important to remember that Galileo observed these moons with 17th Century optics."
Time zone website timeanddate says people in Wales will be able to see Jupiter in the sky from 6.55pm. The close pass will put Jupiter 367 million miles away from Earth - its closest distance since 1963. At its furthest, the giant is 600 million miles away. According to ITV meterologist and weather presenter Chris Page, the event is so rare it won't happen again until 2129.
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