It will still be some 367 million miles away from us, but not since October 1963 have stargazers had such a great opportunity to spot it in the night sky.
The gas giant came closest to Earth in almost 60 years yesterday, and today it will reach opposition, meaning the planet will appear opposite the sun to those on Earth. Jupiter will rise in the east while the sun sets in the west.
The planet’s closest approach to Earth hardly ever coincides with opposition, which means this year’s views will be ‘extraordinary,’ according to NASA.
The overlap of the two events, which will not take place again until 2139, will make it appear brighter and larger in the sky — with the best views on Monday night, the US space agency said.
However, Jupiter will appear slightly bigger and brighter for the next few weeks.
Although it is one of the few planets that can be seen with the naked eye, NASA still recommends using some type of instrument to view it.
‘With good binoculars, the banding (at least the central band) and three or four of the Galilean satellites (moons) should be visible,’ said Adam Kobelski, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
‘It’s important to remember that Galileo observed these moons with 17th century optics. One of the key needs will be a stable mount for whatever system you use.’
A 4-inch or larger telescope would allow observers to see Jupiter’s Great Red Spot and bands in more detail.
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Kobelski said an ideal viewing spot would be at a high elevation in a dark and dry area.
‘The views should be great for a few days before and after September 26,’ he explained. ‘So, take advantage of good weather on either side of this date to take in the sight. Outside of the moon, it should be one of the (if not the) brightest objects in the night sky.’
Despite being at its closest point to Earth in 59 years on Monday, Jupiter will still be around 367 million miles away, while at its farthest it sits at around 600 million miles from us.
One astrophotographer has already taken advantage of Jupiter’s close approach by capturing the gas giant in such extraordinary detail that it appears to look like a marble floating in space.
Andrew McCarthy’s stunning images show the planet beautifully lit up against the night sky, highlighting its red spot and cloud bands.
‘It’s one of the sharpest images I’ve produced of the gas giant and I’m proud to share with you the clearest shot I’ve managed of Jupiter so far,’ said McCarthy, who is known to his followers as Cosmic-Background.
‘I spent about two hours shooting photos of it in batches — every 90 seconds I captured around 7,500 individual images.
‘The image output was then processed by colour balancing and sharpening the image, which I did while travelling.
‘Seeing Jupiter through a telescope is part of what inspired me to go down this road and become an astrophotographer, and I never get tired of seeing it.’
