Jupiter will be in opposition on September 26 this year, but what exactly does it mean when we say a planet is in opposition? How can you spot Jupiter in opposition? And in which constellation will Jupiter appear? The answers to these, and more, are below. If you’re still able to enjoy the warm weather and (relatively) clear nights, why not make the most of it with our full moon UK beginners’ astronomy calendar and guide? And, in case you missed it, we’ve rounded up the best photos of Harvest Moon 2022.
What is the opposition?
The opposition is essentially the planetary equivalent of a full moon. When a planet is close to the Earth, and on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, we describe it as the opposition planet. Sunlight shining on the planet is completely reflected, in the same way that sunlight is completely reflected by the Moon every 29.53 days in the lunar cycle. As the outer planets orbit the Sun, Earth occasionally comes between the Sun and another planet, with the three in direct alignment. Contrasts can often provide the best opportunity to observe and photograph a particular planet due to its favorable position and brightness. At Jupiter’s opposition, the Earth will be directly between Jupiter and the Sun and will remain in the sky above the horizon for most of the night. Only those planets beyond Earth’s orbit can be in opposition, these are Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Because Mercury and Venus orbit the Sun within the path of Earth’s orbit, they can never be in opposition.
When is Jupiter in opposition?
Jupiter will reach opposition on Monday, September 26, 2022, when it will be at its closest and brightest for the year, effectively creating a “full” Jupiter. The king of the Solar System will rise as the sun sets, at 6:52 p.m. on Monday, September 26 and will remain above the horizon until sunset at 6:57 a.m. on Tuesday 27 September 2022 as seen from London (times will vary by location) . Weather permitting, we are expected to be offered perfect visibility of Jupiter. When Jupiter reaches opposition, the gas giant will be about 591.3 million km (3.95 AU) from Earth. More like this
What will you be able to see?
To unaided observers, Jupiter will appear as a very bright point of light that, unlike stars, does not shine. A decent set of binoculars (7x to 10x magnification) will give you views of Jupiter’s four largest moons, Ganymede, Europa, Callisto, and Io, and a telescope will allow you to see Jupiter’s stripes. How you can see Jupiter at opposition tonight © Getty Images Jupiter’s belts, the Great Red Spot and even the clouds can be seen through a telescope. Jupiter has a rapid rotation, and eagle eyes may even be able to detect the resulting slightly squished appearance of its luminous disk. From approximately 18:52 on Monday, September 26, Jupiter will rise in the eastern sky, in the constellation of Pisces. As the night progresses, the planet will travel east and reach its highest point in the middle of the night before setting at sunrise, disappearing below the horizon at 6:57 AM. of the following day. If you’re interested in astrophotography or animating Jupiter, expert Pete Lawrence has created this handy guide on how to make a planetary animation.
How can I spot Jupiter in the night sky?
Jupiter is one of the brightest objects in the night sky, which makes it relatively easy to spot, even without a telescope. If you’re having trouble getting your bearings, then there are astronomy apps you can download – all you need to do is point your phone at the sky and the app will tell you what’s what. For those of you who prefer star hopping, look southeast after sunset. Jupiter will rise in the constellation Pisces, which can be seen anywhere in the world with the exception of Antarctica. Although Pisces is a large constellation, its stars are relatively faint. However, its characteristic V shape is one of the largest star formations in the sky. You can find Pisces by first locating the Summer Triangle and tracing an imaginary line from the bright star Vega and dividing the triangle perpendicular to the base, consisting of Altair and Deneb. This line shows the head of the western fish in Pisces. Jupiter will sit directly below the western fish. Jupiter reaches opposition on September 26, 2022 © NASA/ESA/ESO/Space Telescope Science Institute/IAU Minor Planet Center/Fabien Chereau/Noctua Software
How often do contrasts occur?
Each of the planets opposes on a roughly yearly basis. This is because Earth has a faster orbit, passing between these planets and the Sun. The exception is Mars, which occurs approximately every 26 months due to its relative proximity to Earth in the Solar System. Jupiter opposes every 13 months.
The 12-year cycle of Jupiter
Jupiter is within the zodiacal sky and moves about 1/12 of its orbit each year (a single orbit is about 12 years). In other words, it takes about 12 months for Jupiter to cross one of the zodiacal constellations and move on to the next. This means that Jupiter opposes every 13 months and the planet will pass through all the constellations of the zodiac in a period of 12 years. Like the other planets, Jupiter travels from west to east in the night sky, against a background of stars and distant galaxies. However, when in opposition, the planet also enters a period of apparent retrograde motion, when it appears to move backwards for a period of time. Here are the constellations Jupiter will appear in over the next 12-year cycle:
September 26, 2022: Pisces November 1, 2023: Aries December 6, 2024: Taurus January 9, 2026: Gemini February 10, 2027: Leo March 13, 2028: Virgo April 13, 2029: Virgo May 14, 2030: Libra June 16, 2031: Ophiuchus July 20, 2032: Sagittarius August 25, 2033: Aquarius October 2, 2034: Return to Pisces
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