Some will call it Christmas star, Others will refer to it as Great pairing For 2020.

This could happen every 20 years, but this year’s Great Conjunction will see Saturn and Jupiter appear in their closest appearance in the night sky since 1226 – and that’s before the invention of the first telescope.

What is pairing?

This is where two objects in space appear near each other in the night sky as their orbits align with the viewpoint of the observer. However, in reality, they are thousands, if not millions, of miles away

So what’s going on?

Since October, the two largest and brightest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, They were close together in the night sky. And on December 21st, by chance, the winter solstice will be 0.1 ° from each other. This is about the thickness of a dime chocolate bar at an arm’s length.

The last major conjunction occurred in the year 2000, but both planets were so close to the Sun that it was not visible with the naked eye. In fact, you have to go back to March 4, 1226, more than 800 years ago, when they were closer than they would appear on December 21.

How can I see it?

It will be visible all over the world in Western horizon within one hour after sunset. You can see the planets now approaching each other in the night sky, before they “close to touch” on December 21st. Look for a thin moon and a bright moon next to it.

Of course, you’ll need clear skies, and you can check out the latest ITV National Outlook is here