三尖峰上空的土星和木星

2020年10月20日

Saturn and Jupiter over Italian Peaks
Image Credit & Copyright: Giorgia Hofer

Explanation: Saturn and Jupiter are getting closer. Every night that you go out and check for the next two months, these two bright planets will be even closer together on the sky. Finally, in mid-December, a Great Conjunction will occur — when the two planets will appear only 0.1 degrees apart — just one fifth the angular diameter of the full Moon. And this isn’t just any Great Conjunction — Saturn (left) and Jupiter (right) haven’t been this close since 1623, and won’t be nearly this close again until 2080. This celestial event is quite easy to see — already the two planets are easily visible toward the southwest just after sunset — and already they are remarkably close. Pictured, the astrophotographer and partner eyed the planetary duo above the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks of Lavaredo) in the Italian Alps about two weeks ago.

Follow: Live coverage of today’s OSIRIS-REx attempted touchdown-and-go on asteroid Bennu

Tomorrow’s picture: night sky menagerie

三尖峰上空的土星和木星
影像提供与版权: Giorgia Hofer

说明: 土星与木星靠得越来越近。在接下来的2个月里，如果你每晚到户外往天空看，这二颗明亮的行星都会靠得更近。然后在12中旬，会发生大近合，届时这二颗行星相隔只有0.1度，约是满月 视直径的5分之1。这并是一般的大近合，而是自1623年以来，土星（左）和木星（右）最接近的一次，下次二者要再如此接近得等到2080年。这个天文事件轻易可见，因为目前在日落后往东看，这二颗行星已经非常接近。在这幅摄于2星期前的影像里，这位天文摄影者和他的同伴，一同观赏挂在拉瓦雷多三尖峰上空的这对行星。著名的三尖峰，位在义大利．拉瓦雷多的阿尔卑斯山区。

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明日的图片: night sky menagerie