The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 2020

The wonderful astronomical universe has given us another treat in 2020: a rare conjunction of the solar system's two largest planets — Jupiter and Saturn — that is visible in the night sky! The duo's closest encounter in the night sky perfectly matches up with the Northern Hemisphere's Winter Solstice: December 21st. This sight is rare across multiple centuries; a conjunction may happen every 20 years or so but is oftentimes not visible from Earth. You might have to wait until your night sky is clear enough to see it, but the closeness of the two planets will continue for many days ahead. The sky maps above and below show the planets' positions in the night sky as viewed from my Midwestern area. The planets might appear in a different position in your night sky depending on your geographic location, yet should be visible from almost anywhere on planet Earth!