A Volcanic Great Conjunction
			
		
		
			Image Credit & Copyright:  
Francisco Sojuel
		
		
			 Where can I see the 
Great Conjunction? 
Near where the Sun just set.
Directionally, this close passing of 
Jupiter and 
Saturn will be toward the southwest. Since the planetary pair, the Sun, 
and the Earth are nearly in a geometric 
straight line, the planets will be seen to set just where the Sun had set -- 
from every location on Earth. 
 When can I see the 
Great Conjunction?  
Just after sunset. 
Since the two planets are so near the Sun directionally, they always appear in the sky near the Sun, but can best be seen when the 
Earth blocks the Sun but not the planets: sunset. 
Soon thereafter, 
Jupiter and Saturn will also set, so don't be late!  
 Is tomorrow night the only night that I can see the 
Great Conjunction? 
Tomorrow night the jovian giants will 
appear the closest, but on 
any night over the next few days they will appear unusually close. Technically, the closest pass happens on 21 December at 18:20 
UTC.   
 Will there be an 
erupting volcano on the horizon near the 
Great Conjunction? 
Yes, for 
example 
if you live in Guatemala 
where the featured image was taken. 
Otherwise, generally, no.  
In the featured image captured last week, 
Jupiter and Saturn are visible toward the right, 
just above a tree, and bathed in the diffuse glow of 
zodiacal light.