By now you have heard the word: During the upcoming winter solstice, Jupiter and Saturn will line up to create what is known as the “Christmas Star” or “Star of Bethlehem.”
These two planets haven’t appeared this (relatively) close together from Earth’s vantage point since the Middle Ages.
That is incredible. And we get to live through it! Just as we have lived through one of the most tumultuous years in modern history. Why not have yet another sign from the stars during 2020!
NewsNation talked to a NASA astrophysicist about the phenomenon. Dr. Amber Straughn broke down what’s happening and what you need to do to ensure you can see it. Straughn explained how NASA tracks the history of phenomenon’s like the “Christmas Star.”
“The solar system works like clockwork,” said Straughn. “We can track how the planets move in the sky. And from that we can run the clock backwards and figure out how long ago the planets were lined up like this.”
Stargazers in the northern hemisphere should turn their heads and telescopes to the southwest portion of the sky about 45 minutes after sunset to see the planets align on Dec. 21. However. appearances from the phenomenon could be seen throughout the week.
This is the first time since the Middle Ages.
And apparently the last time until many of us have perished in the 2080s..
THE ADDED LIGHT SHOW FOR EFFECT
What makes the amazing times we live in even more amazing is that another sky phenomenon will take place simultaneously to the Christmas Star!
Hundreds of shooting stars will illuminate the horizon in a spectacular Geminid meteor shower, which will be active for the next couple weeks through Dec. 17, according to NASA.com. Expect the meteor shower to peak around mid-Sunday, Dec. 13 through the early morning of Dec. 14.
Even more, “It will be the best meteor shower of 2020, no question about it,” NASA’s Meteroid Environment Office Lead Bill Cooke told Space.com’s Doris Elin Urrutia.
HOPE.. OR FEAR
This rare event not seen since March 4, 1226 has been giving many hope.. The light of Christ in the sky! A potential sign of better things to come.
But batten down the hatches for ’21..
If you are paying attention to signs from above, solar activity is suddenly about to rev up!
Scientists are busy studying clues coming from the Sun which may indicate surging solar activity; 2021 is expected to feature more events than 2020, with peak sunspot activity now projected to occur in 2025. According to the National Weather Service, a recent sunspot group on the Sun exploded the largest solar flare in three years.
“That ain’t the friggen Christmas star, Griz. It’s a light on the sewage treatment plant.”
2 comments
Comments are closed.