Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, December, 21st, 2020

Photo taken by Matthew Salfer-Hobbs and Joseph Coffaro with the 50 cm diameter Graz telescope at the TISTEF facility.  TISTEF is a UCF-run laser range facility near KSC on Merritt Island, directed by Dr Robert Bernath, now part of the Center for Directed Energy Systems, Science & Technology, C-DESST.  Saturn and Jupiter are hundreds of millions of miles apart, but on this evening, they were both in line with the Earth. Last observed in the evening sky some 800 years ago, it is conjectured by many that this event, or a similar one, could have been the biblical ‘Star of Bethlehem’ that guided the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus Christ.  It will next be visible on March 15, 2080.