‘Bethlehem Star’ may be visible Dec. 21

Saturn, top, and Jupiter, below, are seen after sunset from Shenandoah National Park, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Luray, Virginia. The two planets are drawing closer to each other in the sky as they head towards a “great conjunction” on December 21, where the two giant planets will appear a tenth of a degree apart. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA/Bill Ingalls

Posted Thursday, December 17, 2020 4:36 pm

NMSU open house Monday looks for conjunction

The NMSU Department of Astronomy will host a virtual online open house from the

Tortugas (A) Mt. Observatory on Monday, December 21. This will coincide with a rare conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, an event when the two planets will be as close together in the sky as they have been for hundreds of years! The virtual event will be held via Zoom videoconferencing and will include a short virtual tour of the recently refurbished Tortugas Mt. Observatory, followed by some remote imaging, weather permitting, of Jupiter and Saturn, as well as a short presentation about connection with research on these gas giant planets.

The online event will start at 4:30pm on Monday, December 21, and last until around 6:00.

You will need to download the Zoom videoconferencing software before joining if you don’t already have it. The Zoom address will be https://nmsu.zoom.us/j/94370800438

However, a password will be required to join the meeting. To receive the password, send an email to astro@astronomy.nmsu.edu, and we will send you the password before the event.

If you saw two bright stars in proximity above Wednesday’s crescent moonset in the western New Mexico horizon, just wait until Monday, Dec. 21.

Those weren’t actually stars, but planets.

Jupiter and Saturn will continue to appear closer together until they reach a great conjunction, in which they resemble one big star. This hasn’t happened since 1623, and hasn’t been readily visible since the 1200s.

Some scientists have theorized it was this type of conjunction that was referred to in the Bible at the birth of Jesus. That’s why it has earned the nickname “Bethlehem Star.”

Watch the next few nights as they get closer and, barring too many clouds, see the big show Monday.

Check this NASA link to learn more.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/the-great-conjunction-of-jupiter-and-saturn

‘Bethlehem Star’ may be visible Dec. 21

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