2017, August 7: Jupiter and Saturn

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Jupiter appears in the western sky this evening.  It appears lower in the sky each evening as it is heading toward its solar conjunction.  It appears near Spica, but the star is hidden by the trees in the image above.  Spica is about 7 degrees to the lower left of Jupiter this evening.  Jupiter is heading toward its final conjunction with Spica in this triple conjunction appearance.

Meanwhile, Saturn — the Ringed Wonder — is in the southern sky.  It is about 13 degrees to the upper left of the star Antares.

Jupiter is slowly moving toward Saturn for a 2020 conjunction.  Tonight the pair is over 60 degrees apart.  Conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn are uncommon.  They occur in intervals of about 20 years.  During the 2020 conjunction the two planets appear about 0.1 degree apart on December 21.

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