In August 2021 last year’s ‘Christmas Star’ planetary performers will be showing off their ‘best side’ to Earth’s spectator gallery when our planet finds itself positioned in line with the Sun on one side of it and Jupiter (or Saturn respectively) on the other. Once finished the Space probe will be allowed to fall into the embrace of Jupiter’s atmosphere. In July 2021 after almost 10 years since its launch, the Jupiter Near-Polar Orbiter (JUNO) will have completed its data gathering mission studying the planet-king’s atmosphere, gravity, magnetic fields and polar magnetosphere with the aim of finding clues as to how the huge planet formed and has evolved over time. On the 12 th of July we will be treated to yet another planetary conjunction, this time with entirely new participants! Mars and Venus will be coming together to put on a brief show after sunset in the west and will ‘appear’ to be only a tantalizing Full-Moon’s-width apart beneath a crescent Moon! Depending on what’s on your skyline there will be up to 45 minutes to spot them before they drop beneath the horizon. The Moon will in fact be at its closest point to Earth on its egg-shaped orbit at the time and so will appear to be a little bigger than usual! If you look up on the night of the 26 th May and think there’s something a little different about this Full Moon, then you wouldn’t be wrong. Launched on the 23 rd July 2020, Tianwen – meaning “heavenly questions” will also be looking for signs of life on the planet’s rusty surface and comprises an orbiter, deployable camera, lander and rover. On the 23 rd April 2021 China hopes to become the second nation to land on Mars. Fingers crossed for its return trip and subsequent retrieval! The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is due to depart the surface of asteroid Bennu in March before commencing the 321,000 000 km journey back to Earth to send the capsule containing material from the surface of the ancient asteroid hurtling down for collection from the Utah desert in 2023. We don’t have to wait long this year for some real excitement when it comes to planetary exploration as the ‘Mars 2020’ mission’s Perseverance rover is due to land in the Red Planet’s Jezero Crater on the 18 th February! Besides collecting samples of broken rock and soil this latest technological explorer from Earth will be making a fresh search for indications of ancient Martian life. The 2 biggest planets of our solar system are due to be joined by the tiniest of the lot, Mercury, to form a closely-knit triangle! The date? Sunday 10 th of January, around 45 minutes after sunset. While this one may be a bit tricky to see low on the SW horizon, have a pair of binoculars handy for the exciting sequel to December 2020’s ‘Christmas Star’ conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Well there is good news! 2021 will be no different as we can prepare for a relative feast of spectacular planetary activity, along with a host of exciting Space missions to watch out for during the incoming months. While 2020 was in many ways a strange and challenging year for many of us in one way or another, the heavens certainly gave us cause to look up and find some measure of celestial relief.
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