Opposition from Jupiter: What is visible in the sky tonight and why is the planet so bright?

Jupiter arrived in “opposition”, offering a chance to see the planet much brighter than normal.

The heavenly spectacle only lasts a few days and appears less than once a year.

It is the result of an unusual arrangement between the Earth, the Sun and Jupiter itself, which places them in an alignment that allows the enormous gas giant – the largest planet in the solar system – to appear blazing in the night sky.

What is “the opposition”?

It’s a bit like it sounds: the word describes the moment when the Earth passes between the Sun and Jupiter, i.e. the other two objects face each other with the Earth at the environment.

If you looked from above and drew a line between Jupiter and the Sun, the Earth would be right in the middle of that line.

But if you look from Earth, Jupiter will be exceptionally bright in the sky. This is because of the way sunlight hits Jupiter, allowing it to shine in the night sky.

The opposition did not last very long, only a few days. But during this time, people will be able to see the planet much more brilliantly than usual.

How can I find Jupiter?

The easiest way is probably to use an app. There are a variety of options, such as Dark Sky, which allows you to point your phone at the sky and have it guide you to other planets, stars, or other objects.

But if you’d rather go the traditional route, then you’ll have to look down on the horizon to find the planet. This also means that it will be important to have the horizon as clear as possible, with no buildings or trees that might otherwise get in the way.

It will climb a little higher in the sky after sunset, so waiting might make it easier to see.

What can you see

Part of it depends on your appearance. With the naked eye, you will see something like a bright star, shining in the sky but not twinkling like the stars do.

Through a telescope, you might get a more exciting view: the moons of Jupiter, some of which are as large as planets, as well as the rings of Saturn. They may only look like small dots of light, but that is what they are.

If you zoom in particularly close with a really good telescope, you might even be able to see details of Jupiter itself, such as the clouds swirling through its atmosphere.