A bright new ‘star’ will appear in the night sky this week as the planet Jupiter is visible for the last time until 2026. The biggest planet in the solar system will be visible and brighter than it has been all year as it appears in opposition – meaning it is directly opposite the part of the sky where we usually see the Sun.
The display will be visible from December 7 and coincides with Jupiter being its closest to the Earth, meaning it appears much brighter. Jupiter will be visible through the night with the naked eye – but if you have a telescope or binoculars you should also be able to make out its four biggest moons – Io, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto.
Jupiter should be visible right through to the end of the year but will then ‘disappear’ for 12 months and won’t be seen again until January, 2026. The next time Jupiter appears this bright will not be until January of 2026. Stargazers will also get a chance to see two meteor showers in December.
The Geminids peak on December 12 and 13 with up to 120 meteors per hour. Unfortunately this year it coincides with a full moon which will make visibility more difficult.
December’s full moon, known as the Cold Moon, rises on the 14th and 15th. There may be more chance to see the Ursids on December 21, one of the longest nights of the year.
There will be up to 10 meteors per hour.