We all know the great conjunction that occurred at the end of 2020 was marvelous, this conjunction could end up being just as great in its own ways. Conjunctions like this one are not seen often and are quite interesting for a number of reasons.
You see, this weekend Saturn, Mercury, and Neptune will all be within a couple of degrees from one another in the sky which means they will all be very close to one another. From Friday through till Monday they may appear as if they are passing one another by because well, they actually are doing just that. I, for one, think things like this are magical for a lot of different reasons.
Forbes actually wrote as follows on this celestial event to come:
On Saturday and Sunday, January 9 and 10, 2021, Jupiter (brightest), Mercury and Saturn (dimmest) will form a small triangle in the post-sunset night sky. It promises to be a spectacular sight, but it will also be worth looking for the trio on Friday and Monday, January 8 and 11, 2021.
Rare it may be, but thanks to Mercury’s swift orbit around the Sun (it takes just 88 days to round our star) there will also be a triple conjunction of the same three planets in February.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to see this rare “triple conjunction” in the evening sky this weekend from the northern hemisphere—and bid farewell to the outer planets for many months.
The action will happen just above the west-southwest horizon, so you will need to be in an observing position that allows you to see very low down. An ocean is helpful. So is height—a third or higher story of a building is ideal. You need no obstructions and, of course, clear skies, which are never guaranteed. That’s partly why it’s best to go looking for this celestial match-up for a few nights. Any pair of binoculars will be helpful.
Tonight and the night after this one are our only real chances to catch glimpses of this celestial event as a whole. If you want to check it out you need to be on it as soon as possible. That being said, it may not be worth seeing to everyone.
Things like this do not happen every single night, so I suggest viewing if you have any interest at all. You don’t want to miss something that you cannot get the chance to watch again. Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected, not everything has to be as flashy as you want it to be.