Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer together in Earth’s night sky than they have been since the … [+] Middle Ages. getty If you managed to see the crescent Moon pass Jupiter and Saturn this week, you’ll have noticed something else about the Solar System’s two largest planets. They’re now really, really close to each other, and on December 21, 2020—the date of the December solstice—they’re going to almost appear to collide to become one super-bright point of light. Jupiter and Saturn will look like a “double planet” for first time since Middle Ages. MORE FROM FORBESWhat Are Those Three Bright ‘Stars’ Visible At Dusk Each Night? This Is What You’re SeeingBy Jamie Carter In reality, of course, they won’t be close at all. Think about the distance from the Earth to the Sun. That’s what astronomers call an astronomical unit (au), and it’s how they measure distances in the vastness of the Solar System. Jupiter is 5 au from us. Saturn is 10 au. These two planets aligned in the Solar System a few weeks ago, but on December 21 they’ll ap… Click below to read the full story from Forbes
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