'Great Conjunction' showcased by Google Doodle; Jupiter and Saturn to align today

Celebrating 'great conjunction', Google doodle exhibits  two planets in solar system converging closer in ir respective orbits on first day of winter and giving each or a quick 'high-five'. Google observes Winter Solstice today, which is  shortest day and longest night of year. Such a phemen occurs only when one of earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from Sun. last time we were treated to such a rare planetary alignment, was during Middle s, nearly 800 years ago.

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two planets will nearly overlap to form a “double planet”

To celebrate this phemenal day, Google has created an animated Doodle showing Saturn giving Jupiter a high-five as it slides by its solar system orbit, as "sw-capped" little Earth looks on. y won't appear this close until 2080.

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An event that hasn’t been easily visible since Middle s

official Google Doodle website res, " two largest planets in our solar system will nearly overlap to form a “double planet,” an event that hasn’t been easily visible since Middle s—almost 800 years ago. Today’s animated Doodle celebrates rrn Hemisphere’s first day of winter as well as this rare double planet sighting–or “Great Conjunction”–which can be viewed from anywhere around globe!"

y ded, "So what exactly is creating this celestial phemen? Based on ir orbits, from our vant point on Earth, Jupiter and Saturn will cross within .1 degrees of each or (a fraction of width of full moon), a once-in-a-lifetime rendezvous recreated in Doodle artwork. But looks can be deceiving, as two gas giants will actually remain a vast distance of approximately 450 million miles apart!"

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