The great of and

Next Monday, the two largest planets in the – Jupiter and Saturn – will meet and form a “double planet”. Every person on Earth will get to witness this phenomenon.

Jupiter Jupiter and Saturn are about Saturn • Largest planet 643 million km apart • Second-largest in the solar system planet in the • Diameter: solar system 142,984km • Diameter: • Big enough that all 120,536km the other planets in • Famous for its the solar system ring which can t inside it comprises ice • Jupiter’s largest particles, rocky are , , debris and dust and Callisto NOTE: Not to scale and for illustration purposes.

The Venus Mars Saturn solar Sun system Pluto Mercury Earth Jupiter

WHY THIS IS RARE While their Due to the sun’s The next time align every 20 years, 0.1 degree glare in 1623, the the planets will this is the rst time Saturn apart is about last union could not be this close is 2080 since 1623 that they Jupiter the thickness be seen from Earth. will come extremely of a 10-cent This means the last close to each other, coin (1.38mm) time humans The conjunction happens as just held at witnessed this the orbital paths of Jupiter arm’s length phenomenon was and Saturn align. 0.1 during the TO MAKE ITS TRIP AROUND THE SUN degree medieval times Jupiter Saturn apart in 1226 12 years 29 years

WHAT WE MAY SEE Through a telescope Magni cation: Between 25 and 30 times • Both planets will be very close to each other and visible in the same eld of view, but distinguishable. • At least three of Jupiter’s moons (Europa, Saturn Ganymede and Callisto) should be visible, and possibly some of Saturn’s moons (Titan and Iapetus), although they will be much fainter.

Magni cation: Between 100 Ganymede Through the naked eye and 200 times • Details on both planets Callisto can be seen. Jupiter

Europa

• The conjunction will be seen as a single Sources: DR ABEL YANG, NASA, CBS NEWS, NYTIMES bright ball or dot in PHOTOS: MAS, MR AKASH ANANDH, THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE the western sky STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS: LEE HUP KHENG, LIM KAILI