Sign In
Learn bits
Geography
Admin

23/12/20 12:25 PM IST

Jupiter and Saturn will meet again

In news

Jupiter and Saturn are the two largest planets visible to the naked eye, hence the expression ‘Great Conjunction’

Highlights
  • A pairing between any pair of planets is a conjunction.
  • These two align roughly every 20 years, which is relatively rare compared to the alignments of planets closer to the Sun.
  • Jupiter orbits the Sun once in 12 years, and Saturn once in 30.
  • The last Great Conjunction happened in 1623.
  • Galileo had discovered four of Jupiter’s moons with his telescope a few years previously — but scientists today believe Galileo would not have found it easy to see the conjunction, because the planets were aligned too close to the Sun from Earth’s perspective.
  • The next two conjunctions are in 2040 and 2060.
  • March 15, 2080 will have almost exactly the same separation as this one does, and will be much easier to see, according to Rice University. 
Source: Indian Express

More Related Current Affairs View All

15 Jan

Meta shutting down fact-checkers

'Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company will get rid of fact-checkers and simplify content policies by removing restrictions on topics as it is “out of touch with mainstre

Read More

15 Jan

Mission Mausam

'Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched  ‘Mission Mausam’, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at making India a weather-ready and climate-smart nation, as part of th

Read More

15 Jan

Mahakumbh First Amrit Snan

'January 14 was the first amrit snan or shahi snan at the Mahakumbh underway in Prayagraj.' Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani and Shri Shambhu Panchayati Atal Akhara were the f

Read More

India’s First Ai-Driven Magazine Generator

Generate Your Custom Current Affairs Magazine using our AI in just 3 steps