Jupiter and Saturn aligned again since the Middle Ages

Planets Jupiter and Saturn will appear aligned tonight, a phenomenon that according to astronomers only occurred earlier in the Middle Ages and is known as the Christmas Star.

Scientists say that although it will not be a real star, the two planets will certainly offer a brilliant glow in the night sky.

According to information from the BBC network, this fact was observed for the first time in the 13th century, and it became known as the 'great conjunction' of Jupiter and Saturn.

At night, both celestial bodies will be located in such a way that they will appear to form a double planet, explained the director of the Colombian Astronomy Network, Marino Guarín.

Jupiter and Saturn are considered the 'kings of observation and their alignment is not something that normally occurs,' said the scientist.

He also pointed out that the process can be seen with the naked eye from Earth in places close to the Equator.

'It takes Earth a year to go around the Sun, Jupiter takes 12 years and Saturn takes 30; that means that the phenomenon does not occur regularly', he stressed.

He also detailed that, although the alignment of these two planets occurs approximately every two decades, the shape and luminosity in which they do so this year has not been recorded since the Middle Ages.

For his part, the astronomer at Rice University in Texas, United States, Patrick Hartigan, said the conjunction is exceptionally rare due to how close the two planets will be to each other.

The expert also stated that Jupiter and Saturn will not remain that way again, until March 15, 2080. After that, it will happen again after the year 2400.