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12/21/2020
07:30 pm

Equipment Details:

Canon 700Da - Samyang 135mm f/2 @ISO:1600 2seconds exposure

Post-processing Details:

Color corrected and reduced the noise in LR and created the trails in Star trails software

Image Details:

The great conjunction of 2020 was the closest since 1623 and the eighth closest of the first three millennia AD, with a minimum separation between the two planets of 6.1 arcminutes. This great conjunction was also the most easily visible close conjunction since 1226 (as the previous close conjunctions in 1563 and 1623 were closer to the Sun and therefore more difficult to see). It occurred seven weeks after the heliocentric conjunction when Jupiter and Saturn shared the same heliocentric longitude.

The closest separation occurred on 21 December at 18:22 UTC, when Jupiter was 0.1° south of Saturn and 30° east of the Sun. This meant both planets appeared together in the field of view of most small and medium-sized telescopes (though they were distinguishable from each other without optical aid). During the closest approach, both planets appeared to be a binary object to the naked eye.

The conjunction attracted considerable media attention, with news sources calling it the "Christmas Star" due to its proximity to Christmas.