NASA says stargazers are in for an “extraordinary” view if they look toward Jupiter in the night sky this week.
We unpack why it will be such a show and the best way to watch it.
Why is Jupiter so bright right now?
There are a few reasons, according to University of Southern Queensland astrophysics professor Jonti Horner.
The first is because Jupiter will reach what astronomers call opposition.
“It just means that Jupiter is practically opposite the sun in the sky,” says Professor Horner.
“Jupiter rises at sunset and sets at sunrise.”
This happens every 13 months and makes Jupiter appear bigger and brighter than at any other time of the year.
What happens less often is that Jupiter comes closer to Earth; the last time Jupiter was this close to Earth was in 1963, NASA said in a blog post.
“This happens because Earth and Jupiter do not orbit the Sun in perfect circles, meaning the planets will cross at different distances throughout the year.
“Jupiter’s closest approach to Earth rarely coincides with opposition, meaning the views this year will be extraordinary.”
Stargazers will need a telescope to see Jupiter’s Great Red Spot in detail, but the planet’s bright glow will be visible to the naked eye. (ABC)
At their closest point, Earth and Jupiter are about 590 million kilometers apart, while at their furthest they are about 956 million kilometers apart.
Professor Horner also points out that Jupiter is located in a dark part of the sky, which makes it appear even brighter.
“It’s a part of the night sky without bright stars,” he said.
“There’s nothing that rivals Jupiter, that makes it even more pronounced.”
Also, we just had a new moon, so the night sky is also a little darker than usual.
What is the best night to see Jupiter?
Jupiter reaches opposition on Tuesday between 5am and 6am AEST.
So it will be brightest early Tuesday morning and Tuesday night.
But Professor Horner says it doesn’t really matter.
He says the change in brightness won’t be that noticeable, so it will still be worth looking up during the week, or even in the coming weeks.
“It will get a bit dimmer, but we will have a very good view of it over the next few months,” says Professor Horner.
When is the best time to see Jupiter?
Professor Horner says that around midnight would be best, because that’s when it will be almost directly above us in the sky.
“The further out in the night sky, the more spectacular it will be and the clearer the air will be,” he says.
But Jupiter will be visible throughout the night.
“You can watch at any time of the night that suits you,” he says.
And it doesn’t matter where you are in Australia, as long as your view of the night sky isn’t obscured by clouds or obscured by the bright lights of a city, of course.
“It won’t make that much of a difference, to be honest,” says Professor Horner.
Where should I look?
It depends on what time of night it is.
If you want to see Jupiter at sunset, put your back to the sun and look at the horizon.
“At sunset, you’re looking east,” says Professor Horner.
“It’s a blast in the east, almost.”
Closer to midnight, it will be heard almost directly.
But if you look at it earlier in the morning, you must be looking west, in the opposite direction of the rising sun.
Do I need any equipment to watch it?
No.
“It’s very bright, it could almost be mistaken for an airplane with its headlights on,” says Professor Horner.
But if you want to see more details, you can take binoculars.
“You’ll see it’s a disc of light,” says Professor Horner.
“You might see two, three, or maybe four bright points of light next to each other—Jupiter’s four really big moons.
“They move around Jupiter every few days.
“Look at them again the next night and you’ll see they’ve moved.”
With a larger telescope, you may be able to see Jupiter’s famous Red Spot, which is actually a massive storm system, not a geographic feature.