Jupiter is about to make its closest approach to Earth in 59 years

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Jupiter will make its closest approach to Earth in 59 years on Monday, September 26, according to NASA.

The largest planet in our solar system, the gas giant will be at opposition, meaning Earth is directly between it and the sun, said Trina L. Ray, deputy science manager for the Europa Clipper mission at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

NASA spokesperson stated that the original statement by the space agency said Jupiter would make its closest approach to Earth in 70 year. However, it corrected its statement after learning of the error.

NASA estimates that there will be 367 million miles (3590.6 million km) between Earth (and Jupiter). The space agency stated that Jupiter is approximately 600 million miles (965.6 millions kilometers) from Earth at its farthest point.

According to EarthSky, Jupiter is at opposition approximately every 13 months. This refers to the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the Sun relative to Jupiter.

Neither Earth nor Jupiter orbits the sun in a perfect circle, which is what makes each opposition a slightly different distance, said Ray, who is also NASA’s investigation scientist for the Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface, or REASON.

How to watch

NASA stated that Jupiter will appear brighter in the sky and larger, making it a great opportunity for people to catch a glimpse of the planet.

Patrick Hartigan, a Rice University professor of physics and Astronomy in Houston, stated that the gaseous planet will rise at sunset and appear pearly white to the naked eyes.

With a pair of binoculars or a telescope, you will be able to see the planet’s bands, according to NASA.

Stargazers may also be able to see three or four of Jupiter’s moons, including Europa, Ray said.

“Since I am working on a spacecraft that we are going to send to the Jupiter system to explore Europa,” she said, “I’m always excited to see Jupiter and even Europa with my own eyes.”

For a precise time of when to look in the sky, use The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s visible planets calculator.

Saturn and Mars will also be visible, so try and spot those planets while viewing Jupiter’s opposition, Hartigan said.

Continuing events in 2022

Three more full moons will occur this year, according to the Farmer’s Almanac:

Native American tribes have different names for the full moons, such as the Cheyenne tribe’s “drying grass moon” for the one happening in September, and the Arapaho tribe’s “popping trees” for the full moon occurring in December.

Catch the peak of these upcoming meteor shower events later this year, according to EarthSky’s 2022 meteor shower guide:

And there will be one more total lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse in 2022, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. People in Greenland, Iceland and most of Europe will be able to see the partial solar eclipse of October 25. It will also be visible in central and northeast Asia.

You can see the total lunar eclipse of November 8 in Asia, Australia and South America between 3:02 a.m. and 8:56 a.m. ET. However, Eastern North Americans will see the moon setting at that time.

Wear proper eclipse glasses to view solar eclipses safely as the sun’s light can damage the eyes.