Great conjunction facts for kids
A great conjunction is a special event in space. It happens when the planets Jupiter and Saturn appear very close to each other in the sky. Even though they look close, they are still millions of miles apart!
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What is a Great Conjunction?
This event is called a "conjunction" because the planets seem to join up from our view on Earth. Jupiter and Saturn are the two biggest planets in our Solar System. When they line up, it's a beautiful sight.
How Often Do They Happen?
Great conjunctions happen regularly, about every 19.6 years. This is because of how fast each planet travels around the Sun. Jupiter takes about 12 years to orbit the Sun, and Saturn takes about 29.5 years. Their different speeds mean they only line up from our perspective every couple of decades.
The 2020 Great Conjunction
The most recent great conjunction happened on December 21, 2020. It was a very special one! Jupiter and Saturn appeared closer in the sky than they had been since 1623. This made it an exciting event for stargazers around the world. You could even see it without a telescope if the sky was clear.
Images for kids
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Diagram showing the movements of Jupiter and Saturn during the 1980–81 triple conjunction
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A simulated view of the great conjunction of 7 BC as viewed from Jerusalem on the evening of 12 November.
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Separation of Jupiter and Saturn around the time of the 2020 great conjunction
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Photograph taken two days before closest approach with a separation of approximately 15 arcminutes.
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Great conjunction photographed on December 19, 2020, with a 14 in (360 mm) SCT telescope and color CCD.
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Simulated best-case scenario view through a telescope.
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Video created using photographs of the event taken over a span of 90 days.
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Photograph of the great conjunction of 2020 taken two days before closest approach with the four Galilean moons visible around Jupiter. (Titan can also be seen to the right of Saturn.)
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December 21, 2020, Jupiter and Saturn, 130mm Bresser Messier
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Photograph depicting the great conjunction, taken from Syracuse, Italy.
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Photograph of Jupiter and Saturn with the Moon on 16 December 2020
See also
In Spanish: Gran Conjunción para niños
