On Monday, September 26, Jupiter will come closest to Earth in 70 years.
The giant planet is about 965.5 million kilometers from Earth at its farthest point. Next Monday, both Earth and Jupiter will become closer than usual in their respective orbits, with a distance of just 587 million kilometers between them.
Coinciding with this moment, Jupiter will not only be close to Earth, but will be in a position called “opposition,” meaning it will be ready for close-up view. A planet is in opposition when its placement is on opposite sides of the Earth from the Sun, that is, when the Sun sets in the west and the planet rises in the east. For Jupiter, this happens every 13 months, and when it does, the planet appears both larger and brighter.
The planet will be so close to us that with good binoculars, at least the central belt and three or four moons will be visible.
As Adam Kobelski, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, noted, Galileo Galilei had observed this phenomenon even with 17th century technology. Adding that with a ten-centimeter or larger telescope and some filters in the green and blue range, the features of Jupiter can be seen in greater detail and in greater detail, Kobelski said, “No matter what system you use, one of the main requirements will be a stable foot. Outside the moon, at night. “One of the brightest objects in the sky (or the brightest) must be Jupiter.”
Those looking for the gas giant may get the best results by looking from an elevated area in a dark, dry area. “The views will be great for the few days before and after September 26,” says Kobelski, who advises them to pick a date when the weather is the best.
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