Jupiter Will Disappear Behind the Moon on October 6: How to See the Rare Occultation
Skywatchers across much of eastern North America will have a chance to see the crescent moon pass directly in front of Jupiter before dawn on Tuesday, October 6. This rare lunar occultation will not be visible from North America again for 11 years.
Unlike a solar eclipse, in which the moon blocks the sun, a lunar occultation occurs when the moon passes in front of a distant object in the sky. During this event, Jupiter will disappear behind the moon for up to about an hour before suddenly reappearing.
The occultation will be visible before dawn across much of the eastern and central United States, Canada and the Caribbean. In some parts of Africa, the event will take place during the day. Check the visibility map from In-The-Sky.org to see whether the event can be observed from your location.
What will the moon and Jupiter look like?
The moon will appear as a beautiful waning crescent, only 20% illuminated, with bright Jupiter shining nearby. The pair will rise together in the eastern sky early Tuesday morning and appear to move gradually closer as the moon travels eastward against the background stars.
You do not need a telescope to watch Jupiter disappear and reappear. Binoculars or a small telescope can make the event even more dramatic. Through a telescope, Jupiter appears as a small disk rather than a point of light, and it takes about a minute for the planet to disappear completely behind the moon.
A smart telescope can also make it easier to photograph the event. For more advice, see this guide to choosing binoculars and optics and these tips for photographing the moon.
Jupiter occultation times for 10 major cities
The International Occultation Timing Association lists the following times for Jupiter’s disappearance and reappearance on Tuesday morning:
- Chicago: 3:22 a.m.–4:17 a.m. CDT
- Atlanta: 4:15 a.m.–5:17 a.m. EDT
- Detroit: 4:16 a.m.–5:20 a.m. EDT
- Miami: 4:20 a.m.–5:09 a.m. EDT
- Washington, D.C.: 4:20 a.m.–5:24 a.m. EDT
- Philadelphia: 4:22 a.m.–5:26 a.m. EDT
- New York: 4:23 a.m.–5:27 a.m. EDT
- Toronto: 4:25 a.m.–5:22 a.m. EDT
- Boston: 4:26 a.m.–5:30 a.m. EDT
- Montreal: 4:30 a.m.–5:26 a.m. EDT
Outside the occultation path, Jupiter will not disappear behind the moon. Instead, observers may see the planet very close to the crescent moon, creating a spectacular conjunction with strong photo potential. From many parts of the world, the moon and Jupiter will appear close together in the sky.
The next Jupiter occultation visible from North America will occur on November 27, 2037, according to When the Curves Line Up.
Source: www.livescience.com