At 11:20 MST Jupiter and Saturn will be in an extremely close conjunction, separated only by 6 minutes of arc, i.e., 1/5 moon’s diameter. It will be quite a treat because it will be possible to observe both planets at the same time, and not just with binoculars but also with most professional telescopes!
Do not miss this spectacle because it will not repeat until March 15, 2080. The moment of the closest approach is during the daytime in the USA but the conjunction will be impressive the nights before and after December 21.
Johannes Kepler observed a similar conjunction on July 16, 1623, when the separation of the two great gas giants was 5 arcmins.
