On Monday night, December 21, the planets Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer together in the night sky than they have on any night since March 4, 1226. At their closest alignment, the planets will be a tenth of a degree apart or roughly equivalent to the width of a dime held at arm’s length. Depending go the atmospheric conditions, the conjunction of the two planets may appear as a single bright object in the south-western sky, just after sunset.

The conjunction of the planets feels portentous. For skygazers with a clear horizon, it will be a once in a lifetime event. Given its relatively close proximity to the holiday, many are calling it the Christmas Star.  As the conjunction falls on the winter solstice, some astrologers are heralding it as the beginning of a time of rebirth. 

The prospects for viewing the planetary conjunction do not appear to be good for those of us near New York harbor. The forecast is for cloudy skies.  Nevertheless, the planets should be relatively closely aligned for the next week. 

If you do miss this chance, the planets will once again be so closely spaced in the night sky in 2080, which for many of us will be a long time to wait.