Jupiter will dazzle in the Liverpool night sky this week - here’s how to spot it

Liverpool stargazers will want to look to the heavens this week, as Jupiter is set to put on a dazzling show in the night sky.

The mighty gas giant planet will appear to the naked eye as a bright star, because it will be at “opposition”.

But what exactly does that mean? And what’s the best way to catch a glimpse of Jupiter this week?

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What does ‘opposition’ mean?

Opposition - when applied to celestial bodies like planets, means that as Earth passes between the Sun and Jupiter, the planet will appear opposite the Sun.

Planets are usually in opposition for a very short length of time but, during that time, they are visible to the naked eye.

Expert viewing tips

Professor Chris Copperwheat, Liverpool Telescope Astronomer in Charge from the Astrophysics Research Institute at Liverpool John Moores University, said to look to the skies at around 21.00 BST for Jupiter.

“The reason why all this is interesting now is because Jupiter is extra bright,” he said. “To find it, remember that stars twinkle but planets don’t, it should look much brighter than any other star.

“Ideally you want to be somewhere fairly high to avoid tall buildings and look towards the East, the other side of the sky from where the sun has set.”

When should I look?

Jupiter will be at its brightest on the evening of Thursday 19 August as the planet’s opposition takes place just days before the full moon on 22 August.

Jupiter should be visible low above the south-eastern horizon from sunset on the days around opposition on 19 August, but if you wait until a few hours after sunset then it will have risen higher – around 20-25 degrees altitude – and will be easier to spot.

There are a number of apps that can help you find the planet and other celestial bodies, such as Stellarium, SkySafari, Sky Map and Heavens Above.

What else can I see?

Those looking for Jupiter in the night sky may catch a glimpse of its moons and Saturn as well.

David Galvin, Director of the Leighton Observatory in Cronton - home of the Liverpool Astronomical Society - said you can also use your back garden or a local park and should try to aim for a clear view to catch a glimpse of the planet.

He said: “If you use a small telescope or a pair of binoculars you’ll see Jupiter as a very small disc and you will see close very close to it three or four star-like objects in a straight line.

“These are four of Jupiter’s moons.”

The moons are called the Galilean moons as they were first discovered by Italian astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei over 400 years ago.

Mr Galvin added: “You should also be able to see Saturn near to Jupiter and might even see it’s rings, so you’re getting two planets for the price of one.”

A version of this article originally appeared on our sister title, NationalWorld