Next week, the gas giant will approach our planet at 590 million kilometers. At its farthest point, it is 960 million km from Earth.
The largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter, will make its closest approach to Earth for the first time in 59 years. Space.com reported it.
In this case, the gas giant is directly opposite the Sun, as viewed from Earth.
It is noted that Jupiter is in opposition every 13 months, and approaches Earth about once a year. But opposition and closest approach to Earth very rarely coincide. But in this case, the confrontation will take place on September 26, and the closest approach – on September 25.
As a result, the gas giant planet will be unusually bright, which will provide a unique opportunity to consider its features.
“In the days before and after September 26, Jupiter will appear in all its glory. Besides the Moon, the gas giant will be one of the brightest objects in the sky,” said Marshall Space Flight Center astrophysicist Adam Kobelski .
The planets of the solar system revolve around the sun not in perfect circular orbits, but in flat circles or ellipses, so Earth and Jupiter meet at different distances.
While Earth orbits the Sun in 365 days, Jupiter makes a more leisurely journey around the star, rotating every 4,333 Earth days or 12 Earth years.
Jupiter last approached Earth in October 1963.
Earlier it was reported that the Hubble telescope captured a photograph of a young star, located at a distance of more than nine thousand light-years in the constellation Taurus.
James Webb took the first picture of Mars
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Source: korrespondent
