SAY GOOD BYE TO 2015 WITH JUPITER & MOON TOGETHER ON 31 DEC

31 December 2015 presents unique opportunity to Spot Jupiter. Generally people think they can spot planets only through Telescopes or its work of Professionals. However using Moon as Tool one can easily locate planets, at least over 50 times in a year.

However though Jupiter and Moon (in waning gibbous phase) appear to be near each other in the sky. In reality they are separated by enormous distance amongst themselves and from earth.

Direction/Time – How Does it appear on 31 Dec: From 11.30pm onwards if one looks towards East Direction one can spot Moon. And just above left side of Moon one would find a non-twinkling star like object which is nothing but Planet Jupiter.

Morning Walkers on 1 Jan 2016 – to welcome new year with Jupiter:  Further if one wants look at this big brother of our solar system during morning hours. They have to get up before Sunrise and look overhead facing West Direction to find Jupiter with moon.

No need of Telescope:  people don’t need a telescope to spot planets. Telescopes are required only when one wants to appreciate finest features of the planet.

Interestingly after 31^st Dec people can note the growing apparent distance between Moon & Jupiter on every subsequent day.

Importance of the event: On an average Moon is 3,84,000 km away from Earth. Whereas as on 31 Dec, 2015 Planets Jupiter is 5.06 A.U.  i.e. 75,69,65,225 kilometers or 756 Million Kilometers  away from Earth. 

Hence, though Moon and Jupiter are far from Earth. And both these objects themselves are separated by enormous distance. They Appear close to each other on 31 December to us. Hence pairing of moon with planets is significant event to locate planets with help of moon.