Jupiter reaches opposition this week

Jupiter will present its best viewing opportunity in about 13 months
Jupiter will present its best viewing opportunity in about 13 months(NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), and M.H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley))
Published: Sep. 25, 2022 at 11:38 PM EDT|Updated: Sep. 26, 2022 at 12:23 AM EDT
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(WHSV) - Not a busy week but we have a significant event this week that hasn’t happened since 1963! Plus, the sun starts setting before 7 pm.

JUPITER IN OPPOSITION

Monday night, Jupiter will reach opposition. When a planet reaches opposition, it means it is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. Essentially, the Sun, Earth, and Jupiter will all be aligned perfectly. A planet in opposition can create the most ideal viewing of it up in the sky as Jupiter will be in the sky the entire night from sunset to sunrise the next day.

While this happening, Jupiter will be at its closest point to Earth since 1963. Jupiter will be located 367.4 million miles from Earth and shine at maximum brightness. Using a telescope, you may be able to view more details of Jupiter, including its equatorial bands and the Great Red Spot. You may also be able to see shadows cast on Jupiter from its four orbiting moons.

Jupiter will also be the closest it's been to Earth in 59 years!
Jupiter will also be the closest it's been to Earth in 59 years!(WHSV)

LOSING DAYLIGHT

We are continuing to lose daylight. This week we will chop off another 18 minutes of daylight. By October 3rd, we will be down to 11 hours and 42 minutes of daylight and up to 12 hours and 18 minutes of nighttime. Sunrise will move from 7:06 am to 7:13 am. Sunsets will move from 7:06 pm to 6:55 pm. September 29th will be the last time the sun sets after 7 pm until March 12th, 2023.

Daily Sunrise/Sunset Times this week:

DateSunriseSunsetDaylight
Sep 267:06 am7:06 pm12 hrs, 0 mins
Sep 277:07 am7:04 pm11 hrs, 57 mins
Sep 287:08 am7:02 pm11 hrs, 54 mins
Sep 297:09 am7:01 pm11 hrs, 52 mins
Sep 307:10 am6:59 pm11 hrs, 49 mins
Oct 17:11 am6:58 pm11 hrs, 47 mins
Oct 27:12 am6:56 pm11 hrs, 44 mins

ISS VIEWING (MOST VIEWABLE)

DateVisibleMax HeightAppearsDisappears
Saturday Oct 1, 8:45 pm3 min49°10° above NW49° above N
Sunday Oct 2, 7:57 pm5 min35°10° above NW23° above E

NEXT MOON PHASES

Moon PhasesDate and Time
First Quarter MoonOctober 2nd, 8:14 pm
Full MoonOctober 9th, 4:54 pm
Third Quarter MoonOctober 17th, 1:15 pm
New MoonOctober 25th, 6:48 am

CURRENT PLANET VIEWING OPPORTUNITIES

Venus: No good view this week. Rises just before sunrise in the east and right around sunset in the west. Located very close to the sun up in the sky.

Mars: Currently rising between 10:30 and 11 pm in the east-northeastern sky, best visibility an hour or two before sunrise.

Jupiter: Rising around sunset in the east-southeastern sky and visible pretty much all night, in the west-southwestern sky before daybreak.

Saturn: Currently rising before sunset in the east-southeastern sky and setting by 3 am in the west-southwestern sky.

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