‘Christmas Star’ to appear on Monday. How and when to see it in North Carolina
A rare phenomenon will appear in the sky on Monday night, and much of North Carolina is in luck.
Skies are expected to be mostly clear in areas across the state, making it possible to see the so-called “Christmas Star,” which happens when Jupiter and Saturn align.
From Earth, the planets will appear the closest they have in almost 800 years, McClatchy News reported.
Can you see the ‘Christmas Star’ from NC?
While the “great conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn can be seen from most cities, it’s best to find a place with an open view of the sky, according to NASA. When you look up, the “Christmas Star” will appear to the southwest.
In Western North Carolina, mostly clear skies are expected in some areas Monday evening, with the best chances of clouds in northwestern counties, according to the National Weather Service.
“Cloud cover could obstruct the view in the northern mountains,” forecasters said on Twitter.
In central North Carolina, forecasters as of early Monday said “skies should be clear enough this evening to view the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.”
To the east, the National Weather Service also predicts daytime clouds will give way to clear overnight skies near the coast.
When should you look up?
The best time to catch a glimpse of the “Christmas Star” is an hour or so after sunset. In North Carolina, that means stargazers should look to the sky at about 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
While the planets can be seen by the naked eye, experts say you may want to have a telescope or binoculars to view Jupiter’s moons.
“Jupiter will look like a bright star and be easily visible,” NASA said on its website. Saturn will be slightly fainter and will appear slightly above and to the left of Jupiter until December 21, when Jupiter will overtake it and they will reverse positions in the sky.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2020 at 9:21 AM.
