For avid and everyday stargazers you may have noticed a very bright "star" after sunset. However, that's not a star, it's actually Jupiter and it is getting close to peak brightness!

Jupiter will be the closest it has been to Earth in 59 years and will be much brighter than usual. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is reaching opposition; that is when a celestial object rises in the east as the sun sets in the west.

Jupiter's opposition to the sun happens approximately every 13 months, however, it is not common for it to happen while it is also so close to the Earth. 

When Jupiter is at its farthest from Earth it can be up to 966 million kilometres away, but today (Monday) it will on be approximately 591 million kilometres from the Earth, which may not seem very close to us but that is the closest it has been since October 1963 and experts say it won't be this close again until sometime in 2129. 

How to see it:

Look to the east after sunset for your best view of Jupiter, it won't be hard to see as it will be the brightest object in the sky! 

It will raise higher as the night goes on, eventually appearing in the southeast around 11 p.m. ET. On Monday, you won't need a telescope or binoculars to see it but if you do have either of those you will be able to get a much better view. 

With a telescope, you can view the moons and the cloud bands of the gaseous planet which are a pretty remarkable sight. 

According to Sky & Telescope magazine, the Great Red Spot will begin its transit, or its crossing, at 8:44 p.m. ET Monday. You can find local times using the publication's online app or find its app and others like it for your cellphone or tablet. 

Along with Jupiter, Saturn will also be visible in the sky, you can look to the south around 10 p.m. ET, but it may be a bit more difficult to see as it is not nearly as bright as Jupiter.

And of course there is also an app for that! There are several free apps such as Stellarium, Star Walk and Sky View. Those can help to identify what you see in the night sky, including planets and where to find them.

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