Awesome! Jupiter will be closest to the Earth in 59 years; Mark THIS date to watch fascinating spectacle | Tech News

Awesome! Jupiter will be closest to the Earth in 59 years; Mark THIS date to watch fascinating spectacle

Jupiter has never been so close to the Earth in the last 59 years as it will on this particular date. Do not miss this fascinating spectacle.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Sep 21 2022, 13:10 IST
NASA reveals stunning Jupiter images captured by James Webb Space Telescope
Jupiter
1/6 Amazingly, currently, on Jupiter, there are auroras, storms, extreme temperatures and powerful winds stirring things up, according to NASA. The images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope could give scientists a look at the conditions of the gas giant. (NASA)
image caption
2/6 Planetary astronomer Imke de Pater, professor emerita of the University of California, Berkeley said, “We hadn’t really expected it to be this good, to be honest. It’s really remarkable that we can see details on Jupiter together with its rings, tiny satellites, and even galaxies in one image.” (NASA)
Jupiter
3/6 The images were captured by the telescope's Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) instrument on July 27, which highlighted the planet's unique features. According to NASA, the NIRCam has three specialized infrared filters that showcase details of the planet. (AFP)
image caption
4/6 The image was created by compositing several images. Auroras are visible near the Northern and Southern poles of the planet. According to NASA, the auroras shine in a filter that is mapped to redder colors, which also highlights light reflected from lower clouds and upper hazes. (NASA)
Jupiter
5/6 The Great Red Spot as well as other clouds can be visible in the images as white since it is reflecting the sunlight. The Great Red Spot is a giant vortex which has been swirling around on Jupiter’s surface for a long time. Jupiter’s 2 moons, Amalthea and Adrastea can also be seen “photo-bombing” the planet. (REUTERS)
Jupiter
6/6 Thierry Fouchet, a professor at the Paris Observatory, as part of an international collaboration for Webb’s Early Release Science program said, “This one image sums up the science of our Jupiter system program, which studies the dynamics and chemistry of Jupiter itself, its rings, and its satellite system.” (NASA/AFP)
Jupiter
icon View all Images
Watch Jupiter come closer to the Earth than it ever did in the last 59 years. Know when this stunning event will happen. (AP)

Earlier this year, we witnessed the very special ‘five planet alignment' when Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn could be seen in a straight line in the night sky. But now something rare is going to happen. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, will be coming closer to the Earth than it has done in the last 59 years. This is a big moment as the majority of the living population have never seen the gas giant so close to us before. And with modern tech like astronomical telescopes or even binoculars, anyone can sneak a peek at the majestic Jupiter. So, if you are an astronomy enthusiast, you cannot miss this fascinating spectacle. The date of the event is September 26. Read on for more details.

Jupiter to break 59-year old record to come close to the Earth

During this event, Jupiter will be directly on the opposite side of the Sun. This is called opposition and it is not an uncommon occurrence. Every 13 months, the Earth and Jupiter come in a position of opposition. However what is truly fascinating this time is that this occurrence rarely coincides with the perigee of the planet. Perigee of any celestial body which moves in a fixed orbit is defined as the point in its orbit which is the closest to the Earth.

This means during the period building up to September 26 and a few days after that, you can see Jupiter shining unusually bright in the night sky. If you can get your hands on a pair of binoculars or a telescope, you will also get to steal an up-close view of the gas giant.

Also read
Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here.

“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. With good binoculars, the banding — at least the central band — and three or four of the Galilean satellites should be visible. It's important to remember that Galileo observed these moons with 17th-century optics,” Adam Kobelski, a research astrophysicist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama said in a NASA statement, told Space.com.

How the tech in modern telescopes can let you see Jupiter

According to a NASA post, “Most telescopes today use curved mirrors to gather light from the night sky. The shape of the mirror or lens in a telescope concentrates light. That light is what we see when we look into a telescope”. However, expanding upon it, telescopes work on the principles of optics. Optics essentially means the right alignment of lenses and mirrors in a structure to concentrate as much light as possible. And then, the user captures the light coming from these planets and other celestial bodies.

This is also why it is always recommended to never use a telescope in a city area with a lot of light pollution because it will seep into the optics and make it difficult to see the main object. That is also why very few or no stars are seen in the sky over major cities.

Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

First Published Date: 21 Sep, 13:10 IST
Tags:
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS