Tonight, you will be able to witness something that hasn’t been seen since the Middle Ages, that’s right, 794 years ago, in the year 1226! Jupiter and Saturn will become so close to each other in the night sky that they will appear as a brilliantly bright “Double Planet”. On the Winter Solstice, December 21st, the Solar System’s two largest planets will be visibly on top of each other in the western sky, sometimes referred to as the Christmas Star.
If you live in the northern hemisphere and, we do by the way, you can see this Planetary Combination setting in the southwestern sky, shortly after sunset. You will need a telescope to see it real well; but, without one will do too, don’t wait too long, the planets will dip below the horizon only a couple hours after the sun sets.
