In a blog post, NASA said that Jupiter, which is the largest planet in the Solar System, will make its closest approach to Earth in 70 years on September 26.
“Stargazers can expect excellent views of Jupiter throughout the night of Monday, September 26 when the giant planet reaches opposition,” it said.
According to NASA, from the perspective of Earth’s surface, opposition occurs when a celestial body rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west, placing the object and the Sun on the opposite side of Earth.
Jupiter’s opposition occurs every 13 months, making the planet appear larger and brighter than at any other time of the year.
“But that’s not all. Jupiter will also be closest to Earth in the last 70 years!” NASA said.
It further said that Jupiter’s closest approach to Earth rarely coincides with opposition because the two planets do not orbit the Sun in perfect circles – meaning the planets will pass each other at different distances throughout the year.
According to NASA, Jupiter will be at a distance of about 365 million miles from Earth. At its farthest point, the planet is about 600 million miles from Earth.
With good binoculars the banding (at least the central band) and three or four of the Galilean satellites (the Moon) should be visible, according to Adam Kobelsky, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Kobelsky recommended a larger telescope to see Jupiter’s Great Red Spot and bands in greater detail; Telescopes of 4 inches or larger and some filters in the green to blue range will enhance the visibility of these features.
According to Kobelsky, an ideal viewing location would be at a high altitude in a dark and dry area.
Kobelsky said, “The views should be great for the few days before and after September 26. Therefore, take advantage of the good weather on either side of this date. Outside the Moon, it should be one (if not the other) of the night.” Brightest objects in the sky,” he said.
Jupiter has 53 named moons, but scientists believe a total of 79 moons have been detected. The four largest moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, are called Galilean satellites. They are named after the man who first saw them in 1610, Galileo Galilei.
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter for six years, dedicated to exploring the planet’s surface and its moons. Juno’s mission was recently extended until 2025, or until the end of the spacecraft’s life.
Scientists believe that studying Jupiter could lead to important discoveries about the formation of the Solar System.
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