Move over Blue Moon, Jupiter and Saturn are planning a rare meet up

The above image shows where Jupiter and Saturn will be around 8 p.m. Halloween night in the southern sky (right side). In the eastern sky (left) is Mars and the Blue Moon. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

While many people are discussing the Blue Moon happening this Halloween, there is even a rarer astronomical occurrence taking place right now: the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.

“The last time that Jupiter and Saturn were this close was in 1623,” said Chaffee Planetarium Manager Jack Daleske. “That was when Galileo was alive and he was the first person every to point a telescope to the moon.”

According to earthsky.org, astronomers use “conjunction” to describe the meeting of planets and other objects in the sky. The term “great conjunction” is used to describe the meeting of Jupiter and Saturn, the two biggest worlds in our solar system.

Because Saturn and Jupiter are the slowest-moving visible planets in the solar system — it takes Saturn 29.5 years to move around the sun and Jupiter about 11.89 years —their conjunctions are the rarest. Jupiter and Saturn meet up on average about 19.6 years and the last time that happened was in 2000.

A closer look at Saturn and Jupiter on Halloween night. (Supplied)

However, what makes the 2020 meet up special is that the two planets will be about six minutes or .1 degrees apart. That distance is about a fifth of the diameter of a full moon.

“So if people look to the southern sky, just after the sun sets, they will see Saturn and Jupiter,” Daleske said. The two planets will continue to move closer and closer until Dec. 21. On that date, astronomers will be able to point a telescope at Jupiter and see Saturn behind it.

“Unfortunately for us, the planets will be right on the horizon in our area, so it will be difficult to see,” Daleske said. “This means we will have to relay on others who have a better view.”

This makes for a good reason for people to head out now to see the two big planets together.

“Even in the city with the light pollution making it difficult to see the stars, the planets are brighter and should be visible,” he said.

Also, local weather focusers and the National Weather Channel are showing Halloween to be a clear night, making it a great night —and also a COVID safe activity — to look at the stars.

Blue Moon and Red Mars

While outside, Daleske said people should be able to see that famous red planet, Mars, in the eastern sky.

And of course, there will be that Blue Moon.

“First, the moon won’t be blue,” Daleske said. “Because it is harvest season which means there is a lot of debris in the air which tints our atmosphere, the moon will be more orange.”

Mars and the blue moon will be visible in the eastern sky. (Supplied)

The cycle of the moon is how the current year-calendar was created with there being one full moon a month. A Blue Moon simply refers to two full moons in one month, which Daleske noted shows how the human calendar is not completely accurate (which is the reason some months have 30 days and others have 31 and one month can’t decide between 28 or 29 days). The Blue Moon, which has a host of names depending on when it appears, happens on average about 2.7 years.

What makes the October 2020 Blue Moon unique? Well, it happens on Halloween, the first time in about 76 years according to the Farmer’s Almanac.

“I’m sure it will make it more spooky this Halloween,” Daleske said with a laugh. The real truth? “To be honest, it is just chance. Pure chance,” he added.