What We Know Well-nigh the Rare "Christmas Star" That Formed in 2022 - and When Nosotros'll See Information technology Again

Image Source: Getty / Vidmar Fernandes

Every bit 2022 came to a shut, the solar arrangement decided to grace us with a catholic Christmas miracle that hadn't been witnessed in nigh 800 years, often referred to every bit the "Star of Bethlehem" or the "Christmas Star." Unfortunately, we won't see information technology again in 2021, but on Dec. 21, 2022 (aka the Dec solstice), Jupiter and Saturn aligned and then closely in the night heaven that they well-nigh appeared to collide from our vantage point here on Earth, creating a radiant point of low-cal.

"You'd have to go all the style back to just earlier dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the nighttime heaven."

"Alignments between these ii planets are rather rare, occurring in one case every twenty years or so, simply this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will announced to exist to one some other," said Patrick Hartigan, an astronomer at Rice University, co-ordinate to Forbes. "Y'all'd have to go all the way back to merely earlier dawn on March iv, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night heaven."

What Did the Christmas Star Expect Similar in 2020?

The event, sometimes referred to every bit The Great Conjunction, occurs roughly every xix to 20 years, simply 2022 was the closest the planets had lined upwardly in the night heaven since the Middle Ages. Technically, Saturn was 10 au (astronomical units) from Earth and Jupiter was 5 au away, merely they appeared to be less than the bore of a total moon apart.

The planets were at their closest on Dec. 21, but the Christmas Star was visible from everywhere on Earth for about one 60 minutes after sunset in the northern hemisphere for the entire fourth week of December. Those who viewed with a telescope may accept likewise been able to see Jupiter and Saturn's largest moons orbiting them that week.

Related: Mercury Volition Exist in Retrograde 4 Times in 2022, and We're Peradventure a Tiny Fleck Worried

When Is the Next Christmas Star?

Unfortunately, if you missed the Christmas Star in 2020, the next Great Conjunction this close won't happen until March 15, 2080. For now, you can admire a photograph of the rare cosmic event - taken in Colorado - below.

BERTHOUD, COLORADO - December 21: Framed by a large windmill Jupiter and Saturn align for the first time in 800 years on December 21, 2022 in Berthoud, Colorado. Jupiter and Saturn are about to appear closer in the sky than they have in 800 years. The two planets will be so close that they will appear to be touching, separated by one-fifth the diameter of a full moon. To the eye they appear close but in space they
BERTHOUD, COLORADO - December 21: Framed past a large windmill Jupiter and Saturn align for the first time in 800 years on December 21, 2022 in Berthoud, Colorado. Jupiter and Saturn are nigh to appear closer in the heaven than they have in 800 years. The 2 planets will be so close that they volition appear to be touching, separated by ane-fifth the diameter of a full moon. To the eye they appear shut but in space they

Paradigm Source: Helen H. Richardson / MediaNews Group / The Denver Post via Getty Images