Watching The 'Christmas Star' Tonight During The Longest Night Of The Year

 

LABELLE, FL. -- Today is the time of the winter solstice as the days now begin getting longer and the nights shorter until the summer solstice, when the reverse happens; days get shorter and nights longer.

Sunset is at 5:38 p.m. tonight, sunrise tomorrow at 7:11 a.m.

Tonight starting around 6:15 you have the opportunity to observe the "Christmas Star" which is actually the two largest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, appearing to line up with one another in the southwestern sky low to the horizon. 

The light reflected from Jupiter by the sun takes about 45 minutes to reach Earth. The light from Saturn being farther away than Jupiter, takes 90 minutes,

If the skies are clear you should be able to see the two planets for quite a long time until they disappear below the horizon. See if you can make out the two planets - if your eyesight is good, or take out a pair of binoculars and they should easily be seen. A telescope will allow you to see the four moons of Jupiter extending upward from our solar systems largest planet, and see the rings of Saturn above Jupiter.

Photo by Barbara Whelan