This is a slide show of the appearance of Jupiter and Saturn leading up to the Great Conjunction of December 21, 2020. This is the closest conjunction of the two planets since 1623.
For more about the Great Conjunction, read our feature article. This is the closest Jupiter – Saturn conjunction since 1623.
2020, December 28: Jupiter and Saturn in southwest after sunset.
2020, December 28: Jupiter and Saturn in southwest after sunset.
2020, December 28: Jupiter and Saturn in southwest after sunset.
2020, December 25: After sunset, bright Jupiter is 0.4° to the upper left of Saturn.
2020, December 25: After sunset, bright Jupiter is 0.4° to the upper left of Saturn.
2020, December 25: After sunset, bright Jupiter is 0.4° to the upper left of Saturn.
2020, December 22: Jupiter and Saturn.
2020, December 22: Jupiter and Saturn.
2020, December 22: Jupiter and Saturn.
2020, December 20: Jupiter and Saturn (300mm).
Photo Caption – 2020, December 20: Jupiter and Saturn (140 mm).
Photo Caption – 2020, December 20: Jupiter and Saturn (50mm).
2020, December 18: Jupiter and Saturn.
Photo Caption: 2020, December 18: Jupiter and Saturn.
2020, December 17: Jupiter, Saturn, and the crescent moon.
2020, December 17: Jupiter, Saturn, and the crescent moon.
2020, December 10: In the southwest after sunset, bright Jupiter is 1.0° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, December 10: In the southwest after sunset, bright Jupiter is 1.0° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, December 9: One hour after sunset, Jupiter is 1.0° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, December 9: One hour after sunset, Jupiter is 1.0° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, December 4: One hour after sunset, Jupiter is 1.8° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, December 3: In the southwest, dimmer Saturn is 1.9° to the upper left of the Jupiter.
2020, December 1: One hour after sunset, Jupiter is 19° up in the southwest, 2.1° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, November 28: The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 2.4°.
2020, November 27: Jupiter is 2.5° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, November 26: Saturn is 2.6° to the upper left of bright Jupiter.
2020, November 19: The crescent moon is 5,4° to the lower left of Saturn, while Jupiter is 3.3° to the lower right of the Ringed Wonder.
Photo Caption – 2020, November 18: The crescent moon is low in the southwest, 6.8° to the lower right of Jupiter. Saturn is 3.4° to the upper left of Jupiter.
2020, November 16: Saturn is 3.6° to the upper left of bright Jupiter. Saturn and Jupiter make a triangle with 56 Sgr. Saturn is 2.6° to the lower left of the star, while Jupiter is 2.4° to the lower right.
2020, November 11: Jupiter is over 23° up in the south-southwest. Saturn is 4.1° to Jupiter’s upper left. The giant planet pair is near 56 Sgr. Jupiter is 3.1° to the lower right of the star, while Saturn is 2.4° to the star’s lower left. Jupiter is 2.5° to the upper left of 50 Sgr.
2020, November 6, 2020: Jupiter and Saturn appear in the south-southwest this evening after sunset. Saturn is 4.5° to the upper left of bright Jupiter. At least three of Jupiter’s large moon are in the photo when it is enlarged. In the starfield, Saturn is 2.2° to the lower left of 56 Sgr, while Jupiter is 3.7° to the lower right of the same star. Jupiter is also 1.7° to the left of 50 Sgr. Farther east, Mars is 24.0° in altitude above the east-southeast horizon.
2020, November 1: Jupiter and Saturn shine from the south-southwest after sunset. The Jovian Giant is 5.0° to the lower right of the Ringed Wonder. Jupiter is 4.5° to the lower right of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr,) and 1.1° to the lower left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). Saturn is 2.0° to the lower left of 56 Sgr.
Photo Caption – 2020, October 22: The nearly first quarter moon, overexposed in the image above, makes a nice triangle with Jupiter and Saturn. The planets are 5.9° apart. The moon is 4.4° to the lower left of Jupiter and 4.2° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, October 15: In the south-southwest, Saturn is 6.4° to the upper left of Jupiter. In the starfield, Jupiter is 3.1° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr) and 1.3° to the lower right of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). Saturn is 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr).
2020, October 7: Saturn is 7.0° to the upper left of the Jovian Giant. In the starfield, Jupiter is 2.6° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr) and 1.9° to the lower right of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). Saturn is 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr). Note the kite-shaped pattern known as Dogs Kingdom.
Bright Jupiter is 7.1° to Saturn’s lower right. In the starfield, Saturn is 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr), while Jupiter is 2.6° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr) and 2.1° to the lower right of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr).
2020, September 30: Jupiter is 7.4° to the lower right of Saturn. In the starfield, Saturn is 1.7° below 56 Sgr. Jupiter is 2.3° to the lower left of π Sgr and 2.4° to the lower right of 50 Sgr.
2020, September 25: The gibbous moon (overexposed in the photo) appears 3.7° to the lower left of Saturn. Jupiter is 7.6° to the lower right of Saturn.
2020, September 17: The International Space Station passes Jupiter and Saturn during a 10-second time exposure. The planets are 8.0° apart.
2020, September 13: Saturn is 8.1° to the left of Jupiter. In the starfield, Jupiter is 2.1° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr) and 2.9° to the lower right of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). Saturn is 1.7° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr).
2020, August 21: Jupiter is 2.4° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr) and 2.2° to the lower right of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). On for the next few weeks, watch Jupiter move closer to π Sgr and farther from 50 Sgr.
2020, August 12: Saturn is 8.1° to the lower left of the Giant Planet. In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.4° to the right of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr), while Saturn is 2.4° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr).
2020, August 6: In the evening sky, Jupiter is in the south-southeast, with Saturn 7.9° to its lower left. In the starfield, Jupiter is 1.0° to the lower right of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr) and 3.4° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr), while Saturn is 2.7° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr).
2020, August 4: About 70 minutes after sunset, Jupiter is 0.8° to the lower right of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr) and 3.6° to the lower left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr). Meanwhile, Saturn is 2.8° to the lower left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr).
2020, July 28: Jupiter is 0.6° to the left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr), while Saturn is 3.3° to the upper left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr).
2020, July 26: Bright Jupiter and Saturn are in the southwest during morning hours, they are 7.3° apart. Jupiter is 0.7° to the left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). Saturn is 3.4° to the upper left of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr). Jupiter’s moon Ganymede is visible.
Photo Caption – 2020, July 25: Jupiter and Saturn, 7.3° apart, are retrograding in eastern Sagittarius. Jupiter is 0.8° to the left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr), while Saturn is 3.5° to the upper left of 56 Sagittarii and 4.7° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap).
2020, July 24: Bright Jupiter and Saturn appear in the southwest in the hours before bright morning twilight brightens the sky. This morning Jupiter is 0.9° to the left of the star 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr on the photo above) and 4.8° to the upper left of Pi Sagittarii (π Sgr). Saturn is 3.5° to the upper left of 56 Sgr and 4.6° to the lower right of σ Cap.
2020, July 23: Jupiter is 7.2° to the lower right of Saturn. Jupiter is 1.0° to the upper left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr, m = 5.6), while Saturn is 4.5° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap, m = 5.2).
2020, July 20: Saturn and brighter Jupiter appear in the southwest among the stars of Sagittarius. Jupiter is 4.0° to the lower right 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr), while Saturn is 4.3° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap).
2020, July 17: Jupiter is 3.7° to the lower right of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr) and 1.6° to the upper left of 50 Sagittarii (50 Sgr). Saturn is 4.1° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap).
2020, July 14: Saturn is 6.8° to the upper left of the Jupiter. Jupiter 3.4° is to the lower right of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr), while Saturn is 3.9° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap).
2020, July 13: Jupiter is 3.3° to the lower right of 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr). Saturn is 3.8° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap).
2020, July 11: Jupiter shines from the southwest. Saturn is 6.6° to Jupiter’s upper left. In the starfield, Jupiter is 3.0° below 56 Sgr. Saturn is 3.6° to the lower right of σ Cap.
2020, July 9: Jupiter and Saturn, 6.5° apart are retrograding in eastern Sagittarius. This morning Jupiter is 2.8° below 56 Sgr. Saturn is 3.5° to the lower right of σ Cap. The photo shows Ganymede and Europa to the upper left of Jupiter and Io to the lower right of the planet.
2020, July 7: The bright gibbous is over 13° to the left of Saturn. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 6.4°. The planets are retrograding in eastern Sagittarius.
2020, July 6: The bright moon is 3.2° to the lower left of Saturn and 6.4° to the left of bright Jupiter. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 6.3°.
Chart Caption – 2020, July 5: The nearly full moon appears over 8° to the lower right of Jupiter. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 6.2°.
2020, July 4: Jupiter 2.3° below 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr), while Saturn is 3.2° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap)
2020, July 3: Jupiter and Saturn are in the south-southwest during early morning twilight. Jupiter is 2.2° below 56 Sagittarii (56 Sgr) while Saturn is 3.1° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni (σ Cap).
2020: July 2: Jupiter and Saturn appear in the southwest during early morning twilight. Jupiter is 2.1° below 56 Sgr, while Saturn is 3.0° from σ Cap.
2020, July 1: The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 6.0° as the planetary pair retrogrades in eastern Sagittarius. No stars this morning for an overcast sky.
2020, June 29: Jupiter and Saturn appear in the south-southwest during early morning twilight. The planets are 5.9° apart as they retrograde in eastern Sagittarius.
2020, June 28: The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 5.9°. Jupiter is 1.9° below 56 Sagittarii, while Saturn is 2.8° to the lower right of Sigma Capricorni.
2020, June 25: Jupiter is 5.7° to the lower right of Saturn and 1.7° below 56 Sgr. Saturn is 2.6° to the lower right of σ Cap.
2020, June 24: Jupiter is 5.7° to the lower right of Saturn. Jupiter begins to pass 56 Sagittarii. When the image is magnified, two of Jupiter’s moons are visible.
2020, June 16: Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter appear in the southern sky. Mars is 57° from Jupiter. Jupiter and Saturn are 5.3° apart. They are retrograding in eastern Sagittarius.
2020, June 13: The Last Quarter moon is 4.9° to the lower left of Mars. Farther westward, Jupiter and Saturn are 5.2° apart as they retrograde.
2020, June 11: The gibbous moon appears between Saturn and Mars. The Mars – Jupiter gap is about 54°. Jupiter and Saturn are 5.1° apart.
2020, June 8: The moon (overexposed) is 5.8° to the right of Jupiter that is 5.0° to the lower right of Saturn. Mars is in the southeast, over 50° to the east of Jupiter.
2020, June 5: Jupiter is 4.9° to the lower right of Saturn. Mars is over 49° to the east of Jupiter.
2020, June 2: The morning planets are in the southern sky. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 4.8°. Mars is nearly 47° to the east of Jupiter.
2020, May 31: May closes with the morning planets arcing across the southern sky. Jupiter is 4.8° from Saturn, while Mars is over 45° from Jupiter.
2020, May 30: Jupiter and Saturn are 4.8° apart in the south. They are retrograding. Mars is in the southeast among the stars of Aquarius.
2020, May 27: Jupiter and Saturn are 4.7° apart in the southern sky. Mars is farther eastward, over 40° from Jupiter, in the southeast sky.
2020, May 24: Jupiter and Saturn are 4.7° apart as they shine from the southern skies. Mars is 40° to the east of Jupiter. It appears in the southeast.
Photo Caption – 2020: May 13: The gibbous moon appears 8.7° to the lower left of Saturn. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 4.7°.
2020, May 12: The moon joins the morning planets, The gibbous moon is 3.1° to the lower right of Jupiter and 6.1° to the lower right of Saturn. Mars is farther east.
2020, May 9: Saturn is 4.7° to the left of Jupiter. Mars is over 30° east (left) of Jupiter.
2020, May 7: This morning Jupiter, Saturn and Mars span nearly 29°. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 4.7°.
2020, May 6: The morning planets span over 28°. The Jupiter – Saturn gap is 4.8°.
2020, May 4: Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars span nearly 27° in the sky.
Photo Caption – 2020, May 2: The three morning planets span over 25°. Jupiter and Saturn are 4.8° apart.
2020, May 1: The morning planets span 25°. Jupiter and Saturn are 4.9° apart.
2020, April 27: The three bright outer planets – Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars shine from the southeastern sky this morning. The planets span 22.4°.
2020, April 21: This morning the Bright Outer Planets span 18.6°.
2020, April 18: Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars span 16.7°.
2020, April 16: The moon is 3.8° to the lower left of Mars. The morning planets span 15.1°.
2020, April 14: Slightly gibbous moon, 21.0 days past new and 55% illuminated joins the morning planets.
2020, April 10: The three planets – Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars – span 11.9°.
2020, April 9: The three planets are equally spaced along the ecliptic. Saturn is 5.7° from Jupiter and Mars.
2020, April 6: Jupiter, Saturn, Mars planets span 9.6°.
2020, April 2: Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars span 7.3°.
2020, March 30: Mars is 1.2° to the lower right of Saturn.
Photo Caption – 2020, March 17: The moon approaches Jupiter and Mars as Mars closes in for its March 20 conjunction with Jupiter.
2020, March 7: The morning planets span 15.0°.
2020, March 2: The morning planets span nearly 18° across the southeast horizon.
2020, February 23: Saturn begins to appear in the morning sky with Jupiter and Mars
2020: February 14, Jupiter emerges into the morning sky.
May 12, 2024: The crescent moon appears next to Pollux after sunset, a Moon-Pollux conjunction. Two morning planets shine from the eastern sky before sunrise.
May 11, 2024: Sirius makes its last appearance or heliacal setting at the mid-northern latitudes. Mars and Saturn are visible before sunrise, Moon after sundown.
May 10, 2024: Mercury is difficult to see before sunrise, although Saturn and Mars are easier to locate. The crescent moon is in the west-northwest after sundown.
May 12, 2024: The crescent moon appears next to Pollux after sunset, a Moon-Pollux conjunction. Two morning planets shine from the eastern sky before sunrise.
May 11, 2024: Sirius makes its last appearance or heliacal setting at the mid-northern latitudes. Mars and Saturn are visible before sunrise, Moon after sundown.
May 10, 2024: Mercury is difficult to see before sunrise, although Saturn and Mars are easier to locate. The crescent moon is in the west-northwest after sundown.
May 9, 2024: Look for earthshine on the moon’s night portion this evening. Mars and Saturn are morning planets.
2024, May 8: Mars is at Perihelion today, its closest point to the sun. Find it before sunrise in the eastern sky.
