Jupiter and Saturn are about to appear closer in the sky than they have for 800 years, aligning as a 'double planet'
Aylin Woodward Mon, November 23, 2020, 3:18 PM PST · 4 min read A man with a telescope watches the night sky over the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in Los Angeles on July 19. David McNew/Getty Jupiter and Saturn will align in the night sky on December 21. It'll be the closest they've appeared in 800 years. The two planets move into alignment, or conjunction , every 20 years. But this year they will be so close that they'll look like a "double planet." The last time Saturn and Jupiter were both this close and visible was in 1226. Here are the best ways to see this conjunction. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories . Jupiter and Saturn are about to line up perfectly in the night sky, getting so close on December 21 that they'll seem to touch. The last time they looked this close from Earth's vantage point was nearly 800 years ago, on March 4, 1226. An astronomical event in which celestial bodies align is called a conjunction. S