The so-called "Christmas Star" will be visible in the Ohio sky tonight. It’s a celestial phenomenon that happens when Jupiter and Saturn get close to each other, and it doesn’t happen often. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.
The Christmas star is folklore and was popularized on the big screen in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”, when Chevy Chase’s family rushed into the yard to look at a bright star in the sky.
Child “It’s Santa Claus”
Chase “No, it’s the Christmas star and that’s all that matters tonight.”
But the former director of the Perkins Observatory in Delaware says the Christmas star really isn’t a thing.
“Well, no, as a matter of fact, this is something that has been driving me CRAZY in the past month or so as this has come out.”
Tom Burns says what’s being referred to as the Christmas star is actually the point when Jupiter and Saturn come close to each other and can be seen by the naked eye when you look to the Southwest.
“If you look in the direction that the sun has just set and I would start looking in bright evening twilight if it happens to be clear and as the sky darkens, first you will see Jupiter pop up and then Saturn”
Burns says this alignment happens every 19.7 years. And he says the night that it is the closest is the 21st – which coincidentally is when Winter Soltice is celebrated. But he says it’s been centuries since the two planets have been so near to each other.
“This is about as close as they’ve been for 800 years but fear not, in about 60 years or so, they will have another close approach.”
Burns says don’t worry if it’s too cloudy tonight because the bright planetary show can be seen in the next few days as well, even if it is a little further away. And he says this can all be seen with the naked eye. But he cautions those who use a telescope not to share it with anyone outside their group because COVID can spread through that kind of contact.