Jupiter and Saturn Align as One for the First Time in 400 Years

National Gwacheon Science Museum Jupiter and Saturn Close Approach Online Live Broadcast

It is expected that Jupiter and Saturn will appear to be close together to the naked eye. / Stellarium

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] The Gwacheon National Science Museum will broadcast a live observation video of the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn with commentary on its YouTube channel from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM on the 21st.

The orbital periods of Jupiter and Saturn are 11.9 years and 29.5 years, respectively. Due to this difference in orbital periods, the two planets come close to each other in the sky approximately every 19.9 years. However, since the orbital planes of the two planets are tilted differently, they do not always appear to overlap during conjunction. This time, the angular distance between Jupiter and Saturn is only 6 arcminutes (which is 1/5 of 1/30 of the size of the full moon), so the two planets are expected to appear almost overlapping to the naked eye. This great conjunction is the first since July 17, 1623, and the next one will occur on March 15, 2080.

This great conjunction can be observed from places with a clear view of the southwestern sky. Without any equipment, it may be difficult to distinguish Jupiter and Saturn as they appear almost overlapped. With binoculars, it is possible to distinguish Jupiter and Saturn, and with a typical astronomical telescope, observers can see Jupiter and its four major moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto), Saturn, and Saturn’s moon Titan.

Dr. Jaeil Cho, an astronomer at the Gwacheon National Science Museum, said, "This great conjunction is a once-in-a-lifetime observation opportunity," adding, "It would be great to watch this broadcast and then go outside to see the cosmic show unfolding for the first time in four centuries with your own eyes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.