On Monday, September 26, Jupiter will make its closest approach to Earth in 59 years, which will be a treat for sky watchers that evening.
In addition, Jupiter will be in opposition, meaning it will rise in the eastern sky with the setting sun in the west, making our solar system’s largest planet especially visible in the evening sky. “Outside of the Moon, it should be one of (if not) the brightest objects in the night sky,” NASA Marshall Space Flight Center astrophysicist Adam Kobelski said in a statement. Earth and Jupiter follow elliptical rather than circular orbits, and the distance at which they pass each other varies over time. On Monday, Jupiter will come within 367 million miles of Earth, compared to the 600 million miles that separate the two worlds when Jupiter is at its furthest point in its orbit from Earth.
Although Jupiter comes to opposition once every 13 months, the last time Jupiter was this close to Earth was in 1963, according to the NASA blog. Jupiter passing this close to Earth in opposition is rare. Those hoping to catch a bright and relatively close Jupiter can simply look to the eastern horizon around sunset in the days leading up to and following September 26, which should allow the planet to be seen with the naked eye .
However, the close approach and opposition will allow for even more striking views of Jupiter for those with access to telescopes or other optical equipment. You don’t need high magnification for Jupiter and some of its more than 50 moons to put on a good show.
