The weather forecast for the Grand conjunction looks decidedly mixed with partly cloudy skies this evening (12/20), cloudy on the 21st (Monday, the Big Day), and clear on the 22nd (Tuesday), before turning cloudy again. Although it looks like it will be cloudy for the Main Event tomorrow night, keep in mind that the Grand Conjunction is a slow motion event that has been building for months and that only the closest approach between Jupiter and Saturn (1/10 of a degree) occurs tomorrow evening. This pairing should still be amazing to see this evening and Tuesday evening when they will be separated by less than 1/5th of a degree. Also, this event does not require a dark sky, only a reasonably clear view towards the southwest after sunset. You also do not need any special equipment, though a pair of binoculars or a small telescope might be nice.
Speaking of December 21st…
In addition to the Grand Conjunction, the Moon will be at first-quarter, making a fine target for small telescopes, and at 6:02am the sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky, marking the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere and the start of its long journey northward.
Stay warm, and enjoy the view!
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