Mars and Jupiter to Get Unusually Close
The planets Mars and Jupiter will be unusually close together next Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. When viewed from Earth, it will appear that only a sliver of the Moon could fit between them.
In reality, Jupiter and Mars will be approximately 575 million kilometers apart. They will reach their closest distance of one-third of a degree during daylight hours over most of the Americas, Europe, and Africa, NASA has said.
The best view of this celestial spectacle will be before sunrise in the eastern sky, towards the constellation Taurus.
Such planetary conjunctions occur every three years or so. These events offer a curious and beautiful sight for skygazers, who often wonder what the two bright objects are. Scientists hope to one day accurately predict these events far into the future.
The orbits of Jupiter and Mars have not been this close since 2018. The phenomenon will be visible again in 2033. The closest approach between the two planets in the past millennium occurred in 1761, when they appeared as a single bright object. They are expected to be equally close again in 2348.
This close approach of Mars and Jupiter coincides with the Perseid meteor shower, one of the brightest meteor showers of the year. Binoculars or telescopes are not necessary to witness this celestial event.