View More

Jupiter's closest approach in 59 years

Arrow

The greatest evenings of 2022 to view Jupiter in the night sky are coming, à performance unlike any in  seven decades.

The sun, Earth, and Jupiter will line almost perfectly on Sept. 26 during

the Jupiter opposition. The gas giant Is also closest to Earth during this time.

One day before opposition, Jupiter will be 367 million miles from Earth, the closest in 59 years. When John F. Kennedy was president, Jupiter was  this near.

The 25th and 26th of September will be the greatest evenings of 2022 to

observe Jupiter, but there will be plenty of other opportunities.

As Earth and Jupiter's distance rises in October, Jupiter will become  darker. The change in the planet's  brightness between Sept. 26 and  Oct.

Jupiters four biggest moons are Europa, Ganymede, lo, and Callisto. Jupiters moons orbit so quickly that

a telescope will show changing locations on successive nights.