Jupiter, Mercury sitting side-by-side in night sky: How to watch
What's the story
This weekend, stargazers will have a chance to witness a rare celestial event as Jupiter and Mercury come together in the northwestern sky.
The planetary duo will be visible less than 10 degrees (around a fist's width at arm's length) above the western horizon after sunset.
Jupiter will be positioned to the upper left of Mercury, creating a stunning sight.
Viewing tips
When and where to see the planetary duo
The celestial event will only be visible for some 45 minutes after sunset, when the two planets will follow the Sun below the horizon.
Today, Mercury will pass close to Jupiter before rising above it in the night sky.
The two planets will come within a little over two degrees of each other, which is close enough to fit comfortably within a pair of 10x50 binoculars' field of view.
Planetary differences
Jupiter v/s Mercury: Key differences
Despite appearing similar in the night sky, Jupiter and Mercury are vastly different bodies.
Jupiter is a gas giant and the largest planet in the solar system, while Mercury is the smallest rocky planet.
Their orbits also differ greatly. It takes Jupiter 12 Earth years to orbit our star at a distance of 778 million kilometers, while Mercury completes its solar circuit every 88 Earth days at an average distance of 47 million kilometers.