{"id":22512,"date":"2020-06-19T15:41:20","date_gmt":"2020-06-19T13:41:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stelvision.com\/astro\/?page_id=22512"},"modified":"2023-03-14T11:16:47","modified_gmt":"2023-03-14T10:16:47","slug":"observing-jupiter-the-great-giant-planet","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.stelvision.com\/astro\/observing-jupiter-the-great-giant-planet\/","title":{"rendered":"Observing Jupiter, the Great Giant Planet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The largest planet of our Solar System, Jupiter is easy to see with the naked eye and can be viewed several exciting ways with equipment. What if you too took a crack at discovering it? In 2020, this planet can be observed from as early as spring until the end of December.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"View
View of Jupiter from the Juno probe during its 26th orbit around the giant planet in spring 2020. <\/strong>Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/SwRI\/MSSS\/Kevin M.Gill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

En exciting planet that’s easy to find<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jupiter is a bright celestial body that\u2019s easy to see with the naked eye<\/strong> thanks to its dazzling shine that dominates the surrounding night sky. Beginners could confuse it with Venus<\/a>, though Jupiter is not as bright as \u201cthe Morning Star\u201d due to its distance from Earth. Eleven times the diameter of Earth, this giant planet can easily be admired with the help of a simple telescope. Your observation won’t reveal as many details as the photos taken by space probes, but you can discover Jupiter\u2019s cloud bands\u2014and four main moons, which can be viewed with just a simple pair of binoculars!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Can Jupiter Be Seen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In springtime, Jupiter is readily visible during the second half of the night and gradually comes up earlier each evening. On July 14th, the giant planet is in opposition with the Sun<\/strong>. During the weeks that surround this date, Jupiter will be visible all night long<\/strong> and, due to its proximity to Earth (619 million kilometers on July 14th, 2020), observation conditions will be perfect<\/strong>. Warm summer nights will make observation easier, even if this planet remains relatively low on the horizon (by using metropolitan France\u2019s latitudes, this will not exceed 20\u00b0, or the width of an outstretched hand). Observers located further south will have an advantage, since a lower or even negative observation latitude means the planet will be higher in the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Photo
Jupiter is incredibly bright as this photo shows, which was taken in spring 2016 when Jupiter drifted in between the paws of the constellation Leo.<\/strong> Photo: Jean-Baptiste Feldmann<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Jupiter is easily visible throughout summer and fall 2020. The last possible observations of this giant planet will be in December at the beginning of the night, near the western horizon. Jupiter will be especially interesting to observe on certain dates because it lines up in particular configurations with Saturn or the Sun. You can find these details below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Spot Jupiter?<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Map
In 2020, Jupiter is found above the east-southeast horizon between the constellations Capricornus and Sagittarius. Saturn, which orbits nearby, is not shown here.<\/strong> You can also verify the position of the two planets on the <\/strong>Stelvision sky map online<\/strong><\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It should be known that Jupiter is incredibly bright<\/strong>! It outshines all the visible stars in the sky, though it still doesn’t hold a candle to the brightness of Venus. To find Jupiter, turn towards the east-southeast horizon<\/strong>. In 2020, it orbits in the constellation Sagittarius, not far from its ringed partner Saturn. However, you don\u2019t have to worry about mixing them up, since Jupiter is much brighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Can You See with Equipment?<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"A
Well-equipped amateur astronomers with a fair amount of experience can photograph various details of Jupiter\u2019s surface such as its intricate cloud bands, Great Red Spot, and the shadows of nearby probes. With a little refractor telescope or simple reflector telescope (simulation found in the box), you can take photos of belts, zones, moons, etc., that will be less detailed but just as interesting.<\/strong> Photo: Philippe Renauld \u2013 Simulation : Stellarium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Jupiter is a favorite amongst even the most modestly equipped of amateur astronomers. By looking at this planet through a simple telescope<\/em><\/strong>, you\u2019ll be able to immediately see a disc<\/strong>, whereas the surrounding stars remain small dots due to their far-off distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also easily see how the planet is striped with cloud bands<\/strong>. A small telescope will generally reveal Jupiter\u2019s two main bands, known as its equatorial belts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Violent winds from Jupiter’s atmosphere also produce the famous Great Red Spot<\/strong>, a giant hurricane that has been raging since multiple centuries and reaches speeds of up to 425 miles (700 km) per hour! This spot, which is three times the size of Earth, can be viewed by an attentive observer with a telescope boasting a focal length of at least 100 mm<\/strong> in diameter. This Great Red Spot is in fact not really even very red, but it can be made out from the surrounding equatorial belt by its different color. The Great Red Spot gives you the opportunity to see the impressive rotation speed of the planet, which completes a full rotation on its access in just ten hours!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n