Dogs, keep an eye to the sky because tonight Jupiter and Saturn will have a close encounter. Being dubbed the “Great Conjunction” by scientists, tonight on the Winter Solstice, Jupiter and Saturn will appear the closest together in the night sky in 4 centuries, forming what will appear to us on Earth like a giant “Christmas Star.” The last time these planets lined up was on July 16, 1623. However according to Joe Rao, instructor at the Hayden Planetarium in New York, that conjunction in 1623 wasn’t visible to skywatchers on much of the Earth because of solar glare and its low position on the horizon. We have to go back 800 years to March 5, 1226 for the last time the event was visible from most of the Earth. Therefore, don’t miss the show the universe will be putting on for us tonight! However, I’m more intrigued by the date this is occurring.
As you may recall on December 21, 2012, the Mayan calendar ended. At that time some speculated that the Mayans prophesied the world would end when another planet collided with Earth. Well as we all know, that didn’t happen. However, as Dr. John Carlson, director of the Center for Archaeoastronomy, explained, “The Maya calendar did not end on Dec. 21, 2012, and there were no Maya prophecies foretelling the end of the world on that date.” In fact, just like our calendar doesn’t cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar didn’t stop after December 21, 2012. Rather, “this date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then, just as our calendar begins again on January 1, another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.”
You have to ask yourself, what if we misunderstood the prophecy and TODAY, December 21, 2020, is what the Mayans were trying to tell us about? Sure they were 8 years off, but who hasn’t gotten their math wrong at one time or another? Although I must caution that once again those claiming the Mayans were warning us about an apocalypse are incorrect. According to NASA scientists, the effects of the alinement of Jupiter and Saturn will be negligible to Earth. But with an unaided eye, we will be able to see the planets as a bright star tonight, and if you add binoculars or a telescope you just may be able to see Jupiter’s moons!
Back on December 21, 2012, my brother Lemmy made me spend a very boring day hiding in our bunker waiting for the Mayan apocalypse to occur. This time around I am ready to see what happens! According to NASA, the best time to view the Great Conjunction will be to look South-West approximately one hour after sunset. It may turn out to be a whole lot of nothing, but this Dog Ufologist isn’t going to let this once in a lifetime moment pass me by while hiding in an UFO bunker! In fact, the next time this unique planetary alignment will occur won’t be until March 15, 2080, and it won’t appear on Christmas until December 25, 2874. I’m too impatient to wait that long!
To learn more about the “Great Conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn, please visit Space.com. For a refresher on the 2012 Mayan Apocalypse, I recommend ScientificAmerican.com. Also, if Mother Nature isn’t cooperating in your corner of the planet, weather permitting, NASA will air the Great Conjunction on NASA Live.
