Space enthusiasts will be keenly watching Jupiter-Saturn conjunction today, a celestial event in which the two large planets come so close that they appear as bright double planet.
The event is special this time around as the angular distance is so less that the two planets appear as one. The last time the two planets came this close was 400 years ago.
Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru said that the centre has made arrangements to watch the celestial conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn planets on Monday between 6.30-7.30 p.m., an official said on Sunday.
“We have set up telescopes in our premises to watch the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on Monday evening if weather conditions permit,” said the planetarium official in a statement here.
Due to the Covid-induced restrictions on people gathering in large numbers in public places, those who register online to watch the celestial event will be allowed in the planetarium in batches of limited numbers to maintain social distancing.
“Those unable to watch the event at the planetarium due to curbs on crowding, can see the conjunction of the two stars online at our website (www.taralaya.org) or Facebook and Youtube channel,” said the statement.
As the fifth planet from the sun, Jupiter is the largest in the solar system, as a gas giant with a mass one-thousandth of the Sun.
“As the sixth planet from the sun and second largest in the solar system, Saturn is a gas giant with an average radius of nine times that of earth,” added the official.
The conjunction also coincides with the longest day (December 21) in the year as the sun reaches a point where it appears to shine farthest to the south of equator over the Tropic of Capricorn, marking the start of the winter solstice.
(With IANS inputs)
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