Google’s done the holiday season right! Check out where it all started!
Google Doodle celebrating winter solstice 2020 and christmas star 2020!
On 21st December today, Google has put on an
animated doodle on its homepage to celebrate the Winter Solstice and hinting
that we should prepare ourselves to witness the “great conjunction” of two
planets: Saturn and Jupiter.
The longest night brings the rarest celestial event on
display!
Northern Hemisphere celebrates the Winter Solstice on 21st
December, and on this longest night, we’re going to witness a brilliant
astronomic event known as the “great conjunction.”
Also check out the closest pictures of Sun released by NASA.
The two great planets in our solar system, Saturn and
Jupiter, will visually overlap to create “a double planet” in the night sky.
This event is one of the rarest ones and hasn’t been easily visible since the
middle ages.
In case you have missed the live stream or watching it with naked eye, here’s your treat!
Google has dedicated a Google doodle in honor of the centuries’
old festival “Winter Solstice” and this rare double planet sighting which can
be easily visible from anywhere across the globe!
In Google Doodle, the great conjunction is depicted as
cartoon Saturn and Jupiter getting closer for a high five, as the snowcapped
Earth jumps up in delight to watch the other two planets.
So, who’s in for the double treats today?
‘The Great Conjunction’ is so incredible that some even
believed that it is linked with the infamous Star of Bethlehem- a star that
guided the three wise men in the Bible’s story.
Consider our solar system as a racetrack, where each planet
is in their own lane as a runner and the Earth is sitting on the center of the
stadium. So from our vantage point, we’re going to see Jupiter on the inside
lane, moving closer to Saturn all month and finally overtaking it on December
21st.
This unusual alignment of the planets happens almost once in
two decades, but this year is special! Do you know why?
Because we’re going to
witness the two gas giants passing this close to one another for the first time
since 1623. The 2020’s great conjunction also marks the first time in 800 years
when the alignment is taking place at night and sky watchers will be able to
see it across the globe.
“Conjunction like this could happen on any day of the year,
depending on where the planets are in their orbits,” said Henry Throop, an
astronomer in NASA’s Planetary Science Division. “The date of the Jupiter Saturn conjunction 2020 is determined by the positions of Jupiter, Saturn and the Earth in their paths
around the sun, while the title of Earth axis determines the date of the solstice.”
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This epic re-union of the two planets is definitely going to
be one hell of a view for us. Since this year’s Great Conjunction is falling on
the Winter Solstice, people have been referring to this rare planetary
alignment as forming a “Christmas star.”- In reference to the biblical star of
Bethlehem.
The winter solstice falls on the day when the North Pole
will be farthest away from the sun, and when the sun shines directly over the
Tropic of Capricorn. It marks the shortest day and the longest night in the
Northern Hemisphere. The Earth’s changing distance from the sun will cause
Solstice on Monday, which is usually because of the planet’s elliptical orbits
and not circular – something you can also find on Google on Monday as doodles commemorating the holidays.
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How to
see it?
Tonight about an hour after sunset, sky watchers should find
a spot with an obstructed view and keep their eyes towards the southwestern
sky.
According to NASA, Saturn will be seen slightly above and to
the left of Jupiter before it entirely aligns over one another.
Both planets are bright, which can easily be seen in areas
with clear weather and skies. So, you probably don’t need a binocular or any
other equipment to witness this rare moment; all you need is a perfectly
functional naked eye! You can still use binoculars or a small telescope to see
Jupiter’s four massive moons.
Since it’s also going to be Winter Solstice, you can go
on a night camping to the countryside and enjoy the view with your loved ones.
Interesting
facts about this year’s Great Conjunction:
-This year’s Great Conjunction will occur at night time,
which can be visible from all across the globe.
-Sky watchers can witness the Great Conjunction between
6:30-7:30 in the evening.
-This incredible view is likely to be observed in the
southwestern sky, just an hour after the sunset since planets move quickly
below the horizon.
-In the spectacular event, sky watchers can also witness the
four large moons of the Jupiter through a small telescope or advance binoculars.
-The similar celestial event was observed nearly 400 years
ago in 1963, and the next will be observed in the year 2080.
-This year’s Great Conjunction is dubbed as a “Christmas
Star” as it’s happening a few days before the Christmas. Many believers are
referring this star to the famed Bethlehem star, which is also mentioned in the
Bible.
-The planets will appear to be the closest to each other in
the sky on December 21st, just a tenth of a degree away. They will
stay in close alignment for just a day and will be easily visible to the naked
eye. According to the statement from NASA, the two planets may appear as one
point of light, but they will remain hundreds of millions of miles apart in
space.
So, who’s ready for the rarest night of the year?
If you happen to capture the incredible view of the Great
Conjunction tonight, feel free to share with us and drop your amazing images in
the comment section below and our Facebook page and win exciting prices.
Happy Holidays and here’s free some musical treat for you while you witness the Bethlehem star during Christmas holidays!
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