Jupiter will appear at its biggest and brightest in decades this evening, as it makes its closest approach to Earth in 59 years, APA reports.
On September 26, 2022, at 23:10 Baku time, Jupiter will be on a straight line with the Earth and the Sun, and at that moment it will be at the perihelion - the closest point in its orbit to the Sun.
Jupiter will be visible in Baku on September 26 from 19:19 to September 27 at 05:54. Its observation was possible from 7:19 p.m., after rising 7° above the horizon in the east. At 12:36 a.m. on September 27, Jupiter will reach its highest point in the sky. Jupiter will no longer be visible when it is below 7° on the western horizon around 05:54.
It will still be some 367 million miles away from us, but not since October 1963 have stargazers had such a great opportunity to spot it in the night sky.
The gas giant came closest to Earth in almost 60 years yesterday, and today it will reach opposition, meaning the planet will appear opposite the sun to those on Earth. Jupiter will rise in the east while the sun sets in the west.
The planet's closest approach to Earth hardly ever coincides with opposition, which means this year's views will be 'extraordinary,' according to NASA.
The overlap of the two events, which will not take place again until 2139, will make it appear brighter and larger in the sky — with the best views on Monday night, the US space agency said.
However, Jupiter will appear slightly bigger and brighter for the next few weeks.
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