¿ Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2020 December 20 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. A Volcanic Great Conjunction Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Francisco Sojuel Explanation: Where can I see the [4]Great Conjunction? Near where the Sun just set. Directionally, this close passing of [5]Jupiter and [6]Saturn will be toward the southwest. Since the planetary pair, the Sun, and the Earth are nearly in a geometric [7]straight line, the planets will be seen to set just where the Sun had set -- from every location on Earth. When can I see the [8]Great Conjunction? Just after sunset. Since the two planets are so near the Sun directionally, they always appear in the sky near the Sun, but can best be seen when the [9]Earth blocks the Sun but not the planets: sunset. Soon thereafter, [10]Jupiter and Saturn will also set, so don't be late! Is tomorrow night the only night that I can see the [11]Great Conjunction? Tomorrow night the jovian giants will [12]appear the closest, but on [13]any night over the next few days they will appear unusually close. Technically, the closest pass happens on 21 December at 18:20 [14]UTC. Will there be an [15]erupting volcano on the horizon near the [16]Great Conjunction? [17]Yes, for [18]example if you live in [19]Guatemala where the featured image was taken. Otherwise, generally, [20]no. In the featured image captured last week, [21]Jupiter and Saturn are visible toward the right, just above a tree, and bathed in the diffuse glow of [22]zodiacal light. Growing Gallery: [23]Notable images of the Great Conjunction submitted to APOD Tomorrow's picture: one day short __________________________________________________________________ [24]< | [25]Archive | [26]Submissions | [27]Index | [28]Search | [29]Calendar | [30]RSS | [31]Education | [32]About APOD | [33]Discuss | [34]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell ([38]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [39]Specific rights apply. [40]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC & [44]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2012/VolcanicConjunction_Sojuel_1500.jpg 3. mailto:%20fsojuel1%20@at@%20gmail%20dot%20com 4. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/the-great-conjunction-of-jupiter-and-saturn 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190908.html 6. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/saturn/overview/ 7. https://c.tadst.com/gfx/600x337/great-conjunction-2020.png?1 8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_conjunction#2020 9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191011.html 10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201020.html 11. https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/planets/great-conjunction 12. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/great-jupiter-saturn-conjunction-dec-21-2020 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201215.html 14. https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/timezone/utc 15. https://youtu.be/sCWLcbbRN10 16. https://www.darksky.org/great-conjunction-2020/ 17. https://www.luvbat.com/uploads/happy_puppy_open_mouth_7128175551.jpg 18. https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/erupting_volcanoes.html 19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemala 20. https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-face-cute-pug-puppy-260nw-1727018038.jpg 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201219.html 22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiacal_light 23. https://www.facebook.com/APOD.Sky/photos/3225782717525925 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201219.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 33. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=201220 34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201221.html 35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 36. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 37. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/ 43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 44. http://www.mtu.edu/