This photograph of Jupiter was taken on November 5, 2024 through a Celestron 14 telescope. Credit: Michael Karrer (Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0)
If you have a telescope, or have access to one, now is the time to point it at Jupiter. The largest planet in our solar system reaches opposition on December 7. This means it is directly opposite the Sun from our perspective here on Earth. It rises at dusk, sets at dawn and is visible all night.
During the previous day, Jupiter will reach its closest point to Earth. Around 5 a.m. EST, the planet will be 380 million miles (611 million kilometers) from us. At that distance, sunlight reflected from Jupiter will take about 34 minutes to reach Earth.
How to find Jupiter
Currently, the planet is located in the constellation Taurus. It will remain in front of that star until June 11, 2025. If you plan to observe Jupiter, wait a few hours after sunset until the planet rises above the thickest and most optically distorted part of our atmosphere. In fact, if you wait until midnight, Jupiter will be at about 70° altitude for those living in mid-latitudes in the United States (the zenith, or point overhead, is 90° altitude).
After Venus sets in the southwest, the king of planets will be the brightest stellar object in the sky, with a magnitude –2.8. It is 3 1/2 times brighter than the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, which lies about 45° southeast of Jupiter. Directly between these two bright objects is the constellation Orion the Hunter.
What you will see
Even a 4-inch telescope will let you see some interesting details on the planet’s disk, which spans 48 inches. Use an eyepiece that gives about 100x magnification and you will first notice a pair of belts on either side of the equator. Because Jupiter rotates once in just under 10 hours, its most famous feature, the Great Red Spot, is often visible. This storm, larger than Earth, has been stirring in the planet’s atmosphere for more than three centuries.
Because Jupiter is so bright, you can observe it when the Moon is high or even from a large city. The key to seeing the most detail is how stable the air is above your location. So, start by using low magnification and increase the power until atmospheric turbulence begins to degrade the image.
Just remember that if you can’t get out to see it on December 7, the planet will still be bright and well-placed for another couple of months. Good luck!
