Witness an exciting celestial event tonight, as the moon and Jupiter come together in a breathtaking post-Thanksgiving rendezvous. The moon is poised to be almost fully illuminated, with the Full Beaver Moon rising two nights after on Monday, Nov. 27. You can catch a glimpse of this captivating occurrence in the night sky from New York City, with the moon and Jupiter rising in the east at around 3:40 p.m. EST (2040 GMT), as reported by In the Sky. Positioned in the constellation of Pisces, the Fishes, the 12-day-old moon will converge with Jupiter, both shining bright and unmistakable in the night sky. The moon will have a magnitude of -11.7, while Jupiter will be at magnitude -2.8, making both celestial objects easily visible.
This close approach, officially known as an “appulse,” will allow onlookers to see both the moon and Jupiter in a single wide field of view. While the waxing gibbous 93% illuminated moon and Jupiter will still be too widely separated to fit in the narrow field of view of a telescope, you can enjoy this astronomical event using binoculars.
What’s fascinating is that despite their closeness from our viewpoint on Earth, the moon is situated approximately 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) away, while Jupiter is an average of 444 million miles (715 million km) distant. The immense distance between these two celestial bodies in the actual solar system is truly staggering.
To catch a sight of this exquisite display, consider perusing our guides on the best telescopes and best binoculars. Our tips on how to photograph planets or the moon as well as our recommendations for the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography can also help you snap stunning images of the night sky.
And if you manage to capture a breathtaking image of the moon and Jupiter, share your photo(s), comments, and location with Space.com’s readers at [email protected]. It’s a sight worth cherishing!
