CONJUNCTION

This conjunction will be visible in the western sky several nights this week

A Google Doodle celebrating the "great conjunction" of Jupiter and Saturn and the solstice of Dec. 21, 2020. (Image credit: Google)Google treated internet searchers around the world to a pair of animated doodles celebrating the " great conjunction " of Jupiter and Saturn and the solstice, both occurring on Dec. 21. Tonight, Jupiter and Saturn will come so close in Earth's sky that they may appear as one bright point, instead of two separate planets. While the pair near each other in a conjunction once every 20 years, humans haven't been able to see them this closely aligned in about 800 years; the only intervening great conjunction occurred during daylight. Editor's note: If you capture an amazing view of the Great Conjunction of Dec. 21 and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, send images and comments in to spacephotos@space.com.

Before 2020 comes to a close, Jupiter and Saturn will be so close that they will appear to form a "double planet." The great conjunction, as the planetary alignment has come to be known, hasn't occurred in nearly 800 years. This occurs because Jupiter orbits the sun every 12 years, while Saturn's orbit takes 30 years — every couple of decades, Jupiter laps Saturn, according to NASA. Jupiter and Saturn will come within 0.1 degrees of each other on December 21, 2020, during what is known as the "great conjunction." This will be the "greatest" great conjunction for the next 60 years, until 2080.

ROANOKE, Va. – Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this article, it’s important to note that there’s been some hardcore clickbait out there regarding this month’s upcoming planetary conjunction. Having said that, we’ll take any additional brightness we can get in the final days and weeks of 2020. This planetary conjunction ought to do just that. In the nights prior to the ‘great conjunction,’ Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer together in the southwest sky about an hour after sunset. It’s definitely a needed dose of brightness in the final days of what has been a challenging year for many.