Steve’s Virtual Planet

Jupiter’s Christmas Return

It’s now well after the Autumn Equinox and the finish of daylight savings time. Shorter days are now the rule, sunsets coming earlier paving the way for evening viewing and just in time for the return of Jupiter in the mid evening skies. So the shift grants even more time for catching the king of planets.

As we approach mid November, the giant planet will be about 4.5 AU from Earth, about 418 million miles away. The apparent magnitude is now about - 2.08 and will be increasing towards -2.15 by month’s end.

Now would be a good time to begin this season’s Jupiter viewing, coming off of the eastern horizon at 9:15PM. By late November, Jupiter will be rising much earlier and easier to catch in the evening hours.

Jupiter will be with us in the evening sky through the end of May. Plenty of time to explore the moons and features of our largest planet.

More on Jupiter in the coming weeks as the King of the Solar System brings another great season of Big Planet views. Stay tuned!