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Jupiter Crazy Bright

December 29 - December 30

Jupiter will be at opposition ? its nearest point to Earth this year, making it exceptionally bright and visible throughout the entire night. This event offers the optimal opportunity to observe and photograph Jupiter, along with its moons. With a medium-sized telescope, you can view details in Jupiter’s cloud bands.
Using a good pair of binoculars, you should be able to spot the four largest moons of Jupiter, known as the Galilean moons (discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610), appearing as distinct bright spots on either side of the planet. Beyond these, astronomers have discovered 76 more Jovain moons since Galileo’s time.

Fun fact: Jupiter emits more heat than it receives from the Sun! Jupiter generates its own heat as a result of perpetually (and slowly) shrinking and compressing, converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy.

Details

Start:
December 29
End:
December 30
Event Category: