Great Conjunction 2020: First photos as Jupiter and Saturn share Christmas 'kiss'
The two largest planets in our solar system have come closer together than have been since the Middle Ages overnight, treating stargazers to a spectacular "Christmas Star".
Whilst not an actual star, the the sight of Saturn and Jupiter appearing to "kiss" in the night sky is an event not seen for centuries.
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Saturn and Jupiter appear to kiss in the sky over Gatton in Queensland. Margaret Midkiff
Saturn and Jupiter near each other, as seen from Gatton in Queensland. Margaret Midkiff
Known as the "Great Conjunction", Jupiter and Saturn were to be within 0.1 degrees of each other, close enough to appear like a single bright star, the Perth Observatory explains.
There was a Great Conjunction back in 1623, however astronomers predicted overnight's event to be visible around the world and not lost in the sun's glare.
Coming so close to Christmas, some astronomers believe that the famous Star of Bethlehem, mentioned in the Bible nativity story, may have been an astronomical conjunction of the planets.
Jupiter and Saturn are seen in close proximity to each other on December 20, 2020 in High Wycombe, England. Getty
The fact the event is happening during the winter solstice is pure coincidence, according to NASA.
"Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to one another," said astronomer Patrick Hartigan, a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University in Houston.
"You'd have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky."
— Reported with CNN
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