Planetary opposition occurs because the Earth, the Sun and Jupiter are aligned . The Earth is positioned between the Sun and Jupiter. During the night of the opposition, the planet rises from the eastern horizon at the same moment that the Sun sets on the western horizon, so that the planet can be viewed throughout the night. The Sun’s rays index directly on the disk of Jupiter and it is the best time to observe details of its gaseous surface.
Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System. It is the equivalent size of approximately 1,400 planets like Earth and despite being at a distance of 750 million kilometers from the Sun, it is the planet that shows the most details. Due to the dynamics of the gases that form it, it presents different phenomena that are interesting to contemplate, such as, for example, the equatorial bands of the planet, festoons and ovals, among others.
Another characteristic feature of Jupiter is the Great Red Spot. It is the largest storm in the Solar System and also the longest lasting. It is a violent phenomenon with winds of 400 kilometers per hour. The first recorded record of this storm corresponds to the seventeenth century and was made by the English astronomer Robert Hooke. As in the rest of the planet, atmospheric phenomena also occur within the Great Red Macha that can be recorded with high-resolution photography.
The moons of Jupiter
Unlike other planets, in the case of Jupiter it is possible to observe the mutual phenomena that occur between its four largest moons, known as Galilean moons. It was Galileo Galilei in the 17th century who first detected them with the help of a telescope. These four satellites orbit Jupiter in its equatorial plane, so it is possible to observe the transit of some of them in front of the planet’s disk. Eclipses can also be observed between the satellites and their occultation behind Jupiter.
Days before and after the opposition you can enjoy all these phenomena. It is essential to observe the planet through a telescope and it is recommended to reach a range of 150 increases, although it is from 200 increases that the images we observe captivate us. In addition, it must be taken into account that the turbulence of the Earth’s atmosphere makes observation difficult, for this reason it is recommended to observe the planet when it is more than 45 degrees above the horizon.
Amadeo Aznar, Isaac Aznar Observatory, CAAT-Alto Turia Astronomical Center
