November 30, 2012
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Stuff in the Sky II
JUPITER CLOSEST TO EARTH UNTIL 2021
http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/earth-and-jupiter-closer…2021
In 2012, Jupiter – largest planet in our solar system – will come nearest to Earth on December 1, at 15 hours UT (9 a.m. Central Standard Time). Then Jupiter will be only 378 million miles (609 million kilometers) away from us – still very, very distant – but closer than it will be again until the year 2021.
…Jupiter comes closest to Earth once each year, when our planet flies between Jupiter and the sun. Earth will fly between the sun and Jupiter next on December 3 at 2 UT. That is 8 p.m. Central Standard Time on December 2. We’ll go between the sun and Jupiter in early December, and that movement of Earth will place Jupiter opposite the sun in our sky – in other words, rising in the east as the sun is setting in the west.
… Jupiter passed its perihelion – or closest point to the sun – in March 2011. Since then, the giant planet has been getting farther from the sun in its 12-year orbit, and it will continue to get farther from the sun each year until its aphelion – or farthest point from the sun – in 2017… We’re swinging between the sun and Jupiter in early December. Jupiter is farther from the sun than it was at opposition last year, but it’s closer to the sun than it will be a year from now. Thus when we fly between the sun and Jupiter on December 2-3, 2012, Jupiter will be closer to us than it will be next year … or in the years following.
…Jupiter comes to opposition in 2012 in front of the constellation Taurus the Bull. There are many bright stars in this part of the sky, but Jupiter will outshine them all. The bright star close to Jupiter at this year’s opposition is Aldebaran, fiery Eye of the Bull in Taurus.
aNNa’S NoTe: Jupiter is Yeshua our High Priest. Taurus is Messiah come to judge. December 1st is Shabbat. This event makes this Shabbat even more special/significant, and I thought I’d let you know!
