This End Of Month, Jupiter Will Approach Earth In Its Nearest Distance For 70 Years

Jupiter is often considered the most beautiful planet in the Solar System. (photo: doc. NASA)

JAKARTA - Jupiter is often considered the most beautiful planet in the Solar System, and later this month, it will reach opposition. Where Jupiter can be seen clearly from Earth.

The planet will be at its closest point to Earth, offering stunning views on the evening of Monday, September 26. Jupiter's opposition occurs every 13 months, but this time's opposition is very special.

This is because Jupiter will make its closest approach to Earth in 70 years at a distance of 365 million miles from Earth, as opposed to 600 million miles at its furthest point. When looking from Earth to Jupiter, the distance between the two planets will be shorter when the planets are opposite.

This means that Earth is directly between the Sun and Jupiter, so that when the Sun sets in the west, Jupiter rises in the east. That's the 13 month cycle of a typical opposition, but this opposition is unusual.

As quoted from Digital Trends, Monday, September 19, later, all the planets in the Solar System will orbit around the Sun, but although these orbits are roughly circular, they are not perfect.

Sometimes they are closer to the Sun (called perihelion), and sometimes further away (called aphelion).

That makes the next few weeks a great time for stargazers to look up at Jupiter.

Those with access to a telescope or binoculars should be able to get a great view of not only Jupiter but its moons as well.