By Aahil
October 02, 2022
Jupiter lovers will be in for a treat on Monday night as the largest planet in our solar system while in opposition, makes its closest approach to Earth and gives us the ideal chance to observe the giant gas cloud through the sky's night sky.
Space-wise, Jupiter will be close to Earth through Monday night and will be approximately 367 million miles from the planet we call home. It's about 300 million miles from Earth when it's the furthest distance from Earth.
What can make Monday's Jupiter sighting unique is that it occurs at the same time the planet is in opposition while Jupiter along with the Sun are located on the opposite side of Earth.
According to NASA Constraints are rare when the closest object is Jupiter. The most recent time this occurred was in 1963.
The most effective way to view Jupiter in the close-up is using binoculars or an array of binoculars.
If clear skies aren't part of the forecast for September 26, Jupiter will appear larger in the days prior to and after the opposition.
With a bigger telescope it is possible to see some of the planet's highlights are visible in greater depth, such as its bands as well as the more than 100 years old swirling storms which made"the" Great Red Spot.