Jupiter will be at its brightest Monday. This is how to see it in Ontario.
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is going to be the closest it has been to Earth in almost 60 years Monday night.
Rachel Ward-Maxwell, Ph.D., Researcher-Programmer, Astronomy & Space Sciences at the Ontario Science Centre told CTV News Toronto the gas giant is at its opposition, which means it is directly opposite the Sun from what we can see on Earth.
“You can think of it kind of like a sandwich. You’ve got the Earth positioned between the Sun and Jupiter, and when Jupiter’s at its closest to us, it looks as though it is one of the brightest objects in our sky,” she said. “Actually, tonight it will be the brightest object in our sky.”
The last time Jupiter was this close to the Earth was 59 years ago, in 1963, and Ward-Maxwell says the next time this will happen will be in 2129.
“The next opposition will occur in November 2023,” Ward-Maxwell said. “But the time when it’s at both its brightest and its closest will be over 100 years until it’s as close as it is now.”
While on Monday night the planet will be at its brightest, stargazers will still be able to see Jupiter shine brilliantly over the next few nights. The planet will even be visible well into early 2023.
HOW CAN I SEE JUPITER?
Jupiter will be visible in the eastern sky shortly after the Sun sets at 7 p.m. EST, according to Ward-Maxwell, and it will get higher and higher in the sky as the night carries on.
However, clear skies and unobstructed views will be best for viewing. According to the Weather Network, the forecast for Toronto calls for rain, and some cloudy skies, starting at around 10 p.m.
Since Jupiter will be so close, you will be able to see it without using a telescope or binoculars. But if you do have either of these, there will be some added bonuses.
“If you do have a good pair of binoculars or a telescope – it doesn’t have to be a very powerful one – even so, you would be able to see some of the details or the features of Jupiter,” Ward-Maxwell said. “Jupiter is a gas giant planet, it has different coloured cloud tops… you can see different cloud bands and different colours and the Great Red Spot, a giant storm on Jupiter.”
Stargazers with binoculars can even see Jupiter’s four largest moons, too.
Outside of Jupiter, Ward-Maxwell says Mars and Saturn will be visible in the sky, though they won’t be as bright.
WHERE CAN I SEE IT?
“Even if you’re in a light-polluted city, it is going to be so bright that you’ll certainly be able to see it brighter than any stars in our main sky,” Ward-Maxwell said.
If you’re planning on seeing Jupiter as the Sun rises or when it’s low in the eastern sky at sunset, finding a spot with a high elevation that isn’t blocked by any surrounding trees or buildings will be key.
Ward-Maxwell recommends going to any nearby park, or if you’re in Toronto, to go to the Beaches by the lake to catch a glimpse of Jupiter.
“I think even if you could go for a walk down the street and find a clear, clear view of the southeastern sky … you’ll be able to spot it,” she said. “You won’t have to go too, too far, because it’s going to be very bright and very high.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.