Las Vegas joins world in great conjunction viewing — GALLERY
Saturn and Jupiter appear in the sky above Luxor on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. According to NASA, it’s been nearly 400 years since the planets passed this close to each other in the sky in what is known as a great conjunction. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto
Saturn and Jupiter appear in the sky above Delano Las Vegas on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. According to NASA, it’s been nearly 400 years since the planets passed this close to each other in the sky in what is known as a great conjunction. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto
Saturn and Jupiter appear above the Strip on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. According to NASA, it’s been nearly 400 years since the planets passed this close to each other in the sky in what is known as a great conjunction. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto
Jupiter and Saturn appear close in the sky beyond The Strat during the great conjunction on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. The planets are the closest since 1623 and the nearest observable since 1226. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
Jupiter and Saturn appear close in the sky beyond The Strat during the great conjunction on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. The planets are the closest since 1623 and the nearest observable since 1226. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
Jupiter and Saturn appear close in the sky beyond The Strat during the great conjunction on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. The planets are the closest since 1623 and the nearest observable since 1226. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images
Saturn, top, and Jupiter, below, are framed between the twin steeples of St. Joseph Catholic Church Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020 in Topeka, Kan. The two planets are drawing closer to each other in the sky as they head towards a "great conjunction" on Monday, Dec. 21, where the two giant planets will appear a tenth of a degree apart. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
People are silhouetted against the sky at dusk as they watch the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter, Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Edgerton, Kan. The two planets are in their closest observable alignment since 1226. Appearing a tenth of a degree apart, the alignment known as the "great conjunction" has also been called the "Christmas Star." (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Las Vegas joined the nation and world Monday in witnessing an astronomical event not seen since Galileo’s time in the 17th century.
It is the closest Jupiter-Saturn pairing since July 1623, when the two planets appeared a little nearer.
Astronomers say so-called conjunctions between the two largest planets in our solar system aren’t particularly rare. Jupiter passes its neighbor Saturn in their respective laps around the sun every 20 years.
But the one coming up is especially close: Jupiter and Saturn are just one-tenth of a degree apart from our perspective or about one-fifth the width of a full moon. They should be easily visible around the world a little after sunset, weather permitting.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
