Astronomer Damian Peach captured this view of Jupiter on February 25, 2017, using a 1 meter-diameter Cassegrain telescope in Chile.
On May 10, 2018, the giant planet Jupiter will be closest to Earth for all of 2018.
Yet the night of May 8-9 was Jupiter’s opposition, when Earth flew between Jupiter and the sun, placing Jupiter opposite the sun in our sky. You’d think Jupiter would be closest to Earth on the day of opposition. But it isn’t. Why not?
Opposition happens when Earth flies between an outer planet, like Jupiter, and the sun. Why aren’t Earth and Jupiter closest on the day of opposition? Illustration via Heavens Above.
In 2018, Jupiter’s opposition comes about a day-and-a-half before its closest point to Earth:
Jupiter’s opposition May 9 at 1 UTC (May 8 at 8 p.m. CDT).
Jupiter closest May 10 at 12 UTC (7 a.m CDT).
At its closest, Jupiter comes to within 409 million miles (658 million km).
Why isn’t Jupiter closest on the day of opposition? They would be, if the orbits of Earth and Jupiter were perfect circles and if our two worlds orbited on exactly on the same exact plane. They don’t. Both Earth and Jupiter have orbits that are very nearly circular. They go around the sun on almost the same plane. But not quite.
Consider that, because Jupiter’s orbit is elliptical, not circular, its distance from the sun varies. Likewise, Earth’s orbit is elliptical, not circular. Our distance from the sun varies, too.
This image shows an orbit that’s vastly more elliptical than either Earth’s or Jupiter’s. Still, you get the idea. Perihelion = closest to sun. Aphelion = farthest from sun. Image via MadManTalks.
Jupiter’s orbit takes 11.9 Earth-years. Earth’s orbit takes one year.
Right now, we’re headed toward a perihelion of Jupiter. In other words, every single day, Jupiter is closer to the sun than it was the day before. Are you beginning to see how it can be closer to Earth after we go between it and the sun?
Not yet? Keep reading …
View larger. | Jupiter at its April 7, 2017 opposition with the Great Red Spot and moons Io, Europa, and Ganymede (L to R). Photo by Rob Pettengill in Austin, Texas.
Jupiter passed aphelion – its farthest point from the sun in its orbit – on February 16, 2017. Jupiter will reach perihelion – its closest point – on January 20, 2023. So Jupiter is getting closer to the sun each day. And what is Earth doing?
Earth’s perihelion happened in early January. So Earth is now getting a bit farther from the sun each day now.
Jupiter is now getting closer to the sun – bit by bit, closer and closer – every earthly day. And Earth is getting farther from the sun – bit by bit, farther and farther – every day.
And that’s how Jupiter and Earth can be closest for 2018 about one-and-a-half days after our planet’s pass between Jupiter and the sun.
Understand? If not, check out the two links below … or let’s talk in the comments below …
Geocentric ephemeris for Jupiter: 2018
Geocentric ephemeris for Sun: 2018
Another artist’s concept of Jupiter and Earth at opposition, when Earth passes between the sun and Jupiter.
Bottom line: You’d think Jupiter would be closest to Earth on the day we pass between it and the sun. We did that during the night of May 8, 2018 for clocks in North America. Yet our 2 worlds are closest on May 10. Why?
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2K7r7V8
Astronomer Damian Peach captured this view of Jupiter on February 25, 2017, using a 1 meter-diameter Cassegrain telescope in Chile.
On May 10, 2018, the giant planet Jupiter will be closest to Earth for all of 2018.
Yet the night of May 8-9 was Jupiter’s opposition, when Earth flew between Jupiter and the sun, placing Jupiter opposite the sun in our sky. You’d think Jupiter would be closest to Earth on the day of opposition. But it isn’t. Why not?
Opposition happens when Earth flies between an outer planet, like Jupiter, and the sun. Why aren’t Earth and Jupiter closest on the day of opposition? Illustration via Heavens Above.
In 2018, Jupiter’s opposition comes about a day-and-a-half before its closest point to Earth:
Jupiter’s opposition May 9 at 1 UTC (May 8 at 8 p.m. CDT).
Jupiter closest May 10 at 12 UTC (7 a.m CDT).
At its closest, Jupiter comes to within 409 million miles (658 million km).
Why isn’t Jupiter closest on the day of opposition? They would be, if the orbits of Earth and Jupiter were perfect circles and if our two worlds orbited on exactly on the same exact plane. They don’t. Both Earth and Jupiter have orbits that are very nearly circular. They go around the sun on almost the same plane. But not quite.
Consider that, because Jupiter’s orbit is elliptical, not circular, its distance from the sun varies. Likewise, Earth’s orbit is elliptical, not circular. Our distance from the sun varies, too.
This image shows an orbit that’s vastly more elliptical than either Earth’s or Jupiter’s. Still, you get the idea. Perihelion = closest to sun. Aphelion = farthest from sun. Image via MadManTalks.
Jupiter’s orbit takes 11.9 Earth-years. Earth’s orbit takes one year.
Right now, we’re headed toward a perihelion of Jupiter. In other words, every single day, Jupiter is closer to the sun than it was the day before. Are you beginning to see how it can be closer to Earth after we go between it and the sun?
Not yet? Keep reading …
View larger. | Jupiter at its April 7, 2017 opposition with the Great Red Spot and moons Io, Europa, and Ganymede (L to R). Photo by Rob Pettengill in Austin, Texas.
Jupiter passed aphelion – its farthest point from the sun in its orbit – on February 16, 2017. Jupiter will reach perihelion – its closest point – on January 20, 2023. So Jupiter is getting closer to the sun each day. And what is Earth doing?
Earth’s perihelion happened in early January. So Earth is now getting a bit farther from the sun each day now.
Jupiter is now getting closer to the sun – bit by bit, closer and closer – every earthly day. And Earth is getting farther from the sun – bit by bit, farther and farther – every day.
And that’s how Jupiter and Earth can be closest for 2018 about one-and-a-half days after our planet’s pass between Jupiter and the sun.
Understand? If not, check out the two links below … or let’s talk in the comments below …
Geocentric ephemeris for Jupiter: 2018
Geocentric ephemeris for Sun: 2018
Another artist’s concept of Jupiter and Earth at opposition, when Earth passes between the sun and Jupiter.
Bottom line: You’d think Jupiter would be closest to Earth on the day we pass between it and the sun. We did that during the night of May 8, 2018 for clocks in North America. Yet our 2 worlds are closest on May 10. Why?
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/2K7r7V8
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