The skies above are poised for a stunning display as Jupiter and Mars draw near each other in a rare astronomical event set for this Thursday before sunrise. The Jeddah Astronomy Society has shared this exciting news, indicating that the two planets will appear exceptionally close to one another, much to the delight of sky-watchers around the globe.
The head of the Jeddah Astronomy Society, Majed Abu Zahra, expressed excitement over the occurrence, describing it as a once-in-a-decade opportunity
. Observers will witness the contrasting colors of the two planets—Jupiter’s intense white brilliance and Mars’ iconic red hue—as they seem to nearly collide in the sky. According to Abu Zahra, the planets will be a mere 0.3 degrees apart, an event not expected to recur until December 2033. Despite this perceived closeness, it’s an optical illusion, as the celestial bodies are separated by millions of miles.
For those with telescopes, the spectacle will be heightened as Jupiter’s four largest moons will also be in view, accompanying the planetary pair. Abu Zahra remarked, This is a dream come true for astrophotographers
, predicting the opportunity to capture both planets and their moons in a single image will result in breathtaking photography.
Planetary conjunctions like this are measured by their separation, which typically spans between 0.5 to 9 degrees. The most recent significant conjunction was spotlighted by NASA in 2020, known as the ‘Great Conjunction,’ where Jupiter and Saturn were less than 0.1 degrees apart.