You may have already noticed a very bright planet looking East in the early night’s sky. This is our solar system’s largest planet Jupiter, and not only is it in opposition (meaning it is on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun), but it is also the closest it has been to Earth since 1963 – and won’t be again until 2129! Unless you are planning to Black Mirror your living consciousness for eternity, it’s probably best you take a good, long look now.
I went outside a few nights ago on a clear night and saw not only Jupiter, but also four of its largest Moons – Europa, Ganymede, Callisto and Io – through my telescope. Sadly, it is hard to hover an iPhone over a telescope lens to capture these delicate, dew drop-like natural satellites, but here’s what I got (below.) Through the telescope, I could also see the bands of Jupiter, although the Great Red Spot likely requires a larger lens.
You only need a binoculars to get a good look Jupiter, since it’s so big and bright in its present position. And let’s not forget our human eyes! They’re great, too. 10/10 would recommend.
