As Jamie Carter wrote in Forbes last month, this “Christmas star” is the result of Jupiter and Saturn and their position in the skies — and it’s likely to be quite amazing to observe.

Carter wrote that, on December 21, the two planets are “going to almost appear to collide to become one super-bright point of light.”  . . .

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The two will be “separated by less than the diameter of a full moon” between December 16-25, and will be visible anywhere on Earth (though the equator will offer the best views), according to Rice University. . . .

In the midst of 2020, this Christmas reminder will carry special weight, but there’s also something else that’s quite notable about the alignment: it’s the first time it has happened in nearly 800 years.  . . .

“Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to one another,” Hartigan said. “You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky.”

It should be noted that some astronomers believe a similar alignment could have been leading the wisemen to Jesus in what has become known as the Star of Bethlehem. AL.com has more on some of the related theories. . . .

Now, that brings us to this year’s so-called “Christmas star.” People won’t have to wait as long to see the current alignment again, as it is slated to unfold in 2080, though it will be hundreds of years after that until it happens again.

While we can’t be sure it’s a similar conjunction to what the wisemen saw, it’s certainly a powerful image during a year in which many are feeling beleaguered. And it’s especially amazing that it’s happening around and on Christmas amid a pandemic and cultural chaos.

(Excerpt from Pureflix. Article by  Billy Hallowell. Photo Credit: Unsplash.)

Will you be looking for this star tonight?