J.A.M.

Star gazers are in for a treat as they can catch a glimpse of the solar system’s largest planet Jupiter which has come closest to the earth after nearly 47 years this week.

Jupiter

“On the intervening night of 20th/21st September Jupiter reached closest to the earth — 594 million km away — in the last 47 years. It was this close in 1963 and the same will again happen only in 2022,” N Sri Raghunandan Kumar, General Secretary of Planetary Society Of India, told PTI.

Astronomy enthusiasts can spot the biggest planet in the eastern sky using Moon as a reference, he said, adding during this period it will also be the brightest.

“The Jovian planet can be spotted in evening skies till March 2011. Jupiter will be shining (-2.9 Magnitude) till third week of October,” Kumar said.

Generally the minimum distance of Jupiter from earth is approx 588 million km’s and the maximum nearly 967 million km.

Also in store is a glimpse of Venus.

The planet can be seen towards West for 1 ½ hour after sunset from September 23 to the second week of October.

Besides, sky gazers can spot Mercury in the east direction, close to horizon, on September 24, he said.