2020年夏天的土星与木星

2020年12月12日

Saturn and Jupiter in Summer 2020
Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN), Onur Durma

Explanation: During this northern summer Saturn and Jupiter were both near opposition, opposite the Sun in planet Earth’s sky. Their paired retrograde motion, seen about every 20 years, is followed from 19 June through 28 August in this panoramic composite as they wander together between the stars in western Capricornus and eastern Sagittarius. But this December’s skies find them drawing even closer together. Jupiter and Saturn are now close, bright celestial beacons in the west after sunset. On solstice day December 21 they will reach their magnificent 20 year Great Conjunction. Then the two largest worlds in the Solar System will appear in Earth’s sky separated by only about 1/5 the apparent diameter of a Full Moon.

Tomorrow’s picture: Phaethon’s brood

2020年夏天的土星与木星
影像提供与版权: Tunc Tezel (TWAN), Onur Durma

说明: 在北半球今年的夏天，地球天空中的土星和木星，位在和太阳180度反向的冲附近。这张记录6月19日到8月28日期间，这对行星行踪的全景组合影像，呈现它们在西摩羯座至东人马座的众星之间，每20年一现的逆行景观。到如今的12月，它们更加密近，并且是目前日落后的西方天空中，非常明亮的一对天体。而在12月21日的冬至那天，它们将协力演出20年一现的大近合。届时这二颗太阳系的巨行星，在地球天空的间距，会近到大约只有满月张角的五分之一。

明日的图片: Phaethon’s brood