Bhubaneswar: For the first time since 1623, a rare celestial phenomenon is going to take place in our solar system.
It is the great conjunction, or in common language meetings of two biggest planets in our solar system. Jupiter and ringed planet Saturn are coming closer to each other December 21.
Conjunction in Astronomy means meeting of two planets or any other celestial objects in the sky. Similarly, when two big planets meet each other, it is called a great conjunction.
Terming this phenomenon as a rarest of rare, deputy director, Pathani Samant Planetarium here, Subhendu Patnaik said that such a great conjunction had occurred July 16, 1623 and that Jupiter and Saturn were below 0.1 degree apart. The great conjunction was then seen 13 degrees up from the eastern horizon.
Jupiter and Saturn are now visible in the north-western sky after nightfall. In the next three weeks, the distance between the two planets will decrease and December 21, the distance between them will be as minimal as 0.1 degree.
Patnaik urged the people not let go of such an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime. Jupiter and Saturn are visible even from naked eyes from all parts of Odisha and India as well. If binoculars are used, then four of Jupiter’s and one of Saturn’s satellites can also be observed clearly.
PNN