Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics and International Business at New York University's Stern School of Business | New York University's Stern School of Business
Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics and International Business at New York University's Stern School of Business | New York University's Stern School of Business
Jupiter will be at its closest point to Earth in 2024 on Friday, December 6. This astronomical event makes the planet appear about 50% larger in the night sky compared to when it is farthest from Earth. Such proximity between Jupiter and Earth occurs due to their respective orbits and happens approximately once a year. However, this size and brightness will not be seen again until 2033.
Statia Cook, a clinical associate professor in Liberal Studies, remarked, "Jupiter can easily be identified in the night sky by New Yorkers as the brightest starlike object in the sky." She further explained that it is located near the constellation Orion and can be observed as a small disk with four moons visible through binoculars.
On December 6, Jupiter will rise in the East around sundown (4:30 p.m. EST), reach its highest point in the southern sky around midnight, and set in the West by sunrise (7:15 a.m. EST).
Cook also mentioned that good viewing conditions for Jupiter are not restricted to just this Friday. "Jupiter will continue to be prominent in the night sky and excellent for viewing throughout the winter, rising and setting just a few minutes earlier each night," she added. Earlier this year, Cook co-authored a paper on Jupiter’s moon Io in Science.
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