Wow! Watch Jupiter LIVE today as it makes closest approach to Earth at just 367 mn miles

If you are interested in space and science, Monday is going to be fun for you as you will be able to watch two most interesting happenings- NASA's DART Mission spacecraft colliding with an asteroid and Jupiter's closest approach to Earth in 59 years. Planet Jupiter will be closest to Earth on Monday, September 26, 2022. What is more, you can watch Jupiter live today without any fancy telescopes. According to NASA, you can expect great views of Jupiter the entire night of Monday. In order to catch some glimpses and details of the happening all you need is a good pair of binoculars. It can be known that at its closest approach, Jupiter will be approximately 367 million miles away from Earth- about the same distance it was in 1963. The massive planet is approximately 600 million miles away from Earth at its farthest point.

Informing about the same NASA tweeted on Saturday, "Stargazers: Jupiter will make its closest approach to Earth in 59 years! Weather-permitting, expect excellent views on Sept. 26. A good pair of binoculars should be enough to catch some details; you’ll need a large telescope to see the Great Red Spot." NASA in a report further said, "Stargazers can expect excellent views of Jupiter the entire night of Monday, Sept. 26 when the giant planet reaches opposition. From the viewpoint of Earth’s surface, opposition happens when an astronomical object rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west, placing the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth."

It can be known that in every 13 months Jupiter’s opposition occurs, making the planet appear larger and brighter than any other time of the year. Jupiter will also make its closest approach to Earth since 1963 – almost six decades ago! Explaining the reason behind the same NASA said, this happens because Earth and Jupiter do not orbit the Sun in perfect circles – meaning the planets will pass each other at different distances throughout the year. Jupiter’s closest approach to Earth rarely coincides with opposition, which means this year’s views will be extraordinary.

How to watch Jupiter LIVE

According to a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Adam Kobelski, "With good binoculars, the banding (at least the central band) and three or four of the Galilean satellites (moons) should be visible." He further recommended a larger telescope to see Jupiter’s Great Red Spot and bands in more detail; a 4 inch-or-larger telescope and some filters in the green to blue range would enhance the visibility of these features. According to Kobelski, an ideal viewing location will be at a high elevation in a dark and dry area.

The tech NASA deployed to explore Jupiter and its Moon

NASA tech marvel is called the Juno spacecraft and it has been orbiting Jupiter for six years. It is dedicated to exploring the planet and its moons. Juno began its journey in 2011 and reached Jupiter five years later. Since 2016, the spacecraft has provided several images and data about Jupiter’s atmosphere, interior structures, internal magnetic field, and magnetosphere. Juno’s mission was recently extended until 2025 or until the end of the spacecraft’s life.

The next major project for Jupiter exploration is the Europa Clipper. This spacecraft will explore Jupiter’s iconic moon, Europa, which is known for its icy shell and vast ocean that lies beneath its surface.