Are you ready to witness the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn tonight?

If you are an astronomy enthusiast, you must be following Jupiter and Saturn coming closer this week and becoming one (for naked eye observers) this week! Tonight the two giant planets will be so closed that they will 0.1 degree apart making the exceptional astronomical scene southwestern horizon after the sunset. Are you ready to observe it ?

Image: This is a simulation of two giant planets coming together in the southwestern sky for the Great Conjunction on December 21, 2020 as seen over the sky of Kathmandu Valley. Credit: NASO Office/Stellarium

For a naked eye observer, the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn has provided great deal of information so that they can track these planets in the night sky and prepare planetary almanac. It was only in 17th century when Galileo Galilei pointed his telescope to the sky to observe the sun (our nearest star), planets and other celestial objects when much of the beauty of these distance objects became available for people to enjoy such as the famous Galilean Moons of Jupiter!

If you have a binoculars or a telescope, the view can be exceptional as you can see both planets in a the eyepiece. If you are planning to capture the great moment through your camera, make sure you keep your photography station steady and use telephoto lens if possible.

How to observe the great conjunction tonight?

• Find a spot with an unobstructed view of the southwestern sky, nearby your house, it should be your rooftop or a open space nearby
• After the sunset, look to the southwestern sky, you will see a star-like object for our eyes which is actually Jupiter and Saturn together refer to simulation above)
• If you have binoculars or a small telescope, you may be able to see Jupiter’s four large moons orbiting the giant planet and Saturn's ring!

Note: Please don't forget to wear mask and sanitize yourself regularly if you are gathering for the observation. You should also put an effort to maintain physical distancing as possible.

We will be hosting a private star party at our office today from 5:00 PM- 6:30 PM accessible for our members (with preapproval) due to COVID-19 situation. Members joining must wear mask all the time and sanitize themselves while attending the interaction cum observation session this evening at our Office!

We encourage all the astronomy enthusiast and public to enjoy this great celestial event and share their moments with us! For sharing, please use hastags #NASONepal and #GreatConjunction2020Nepal 

We will be featuring selected photos and videos through our social media platforms and website! Happy sharing!

We wish you a clear weather! Happy Winter Solstice to you all!