Google’s newest search bar Doodle is a sickeningly cute reminder that Dec. 21 is the perfect night to stare up at the stars and witness “the great conjunction.”
According the Google Doodle information page, the animation is a celebration of the night’s “unusual show,” as well as the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere (ignore the snow, Northern Hemisphere). The Google Doodle shows the two planets ceremoniously high-fiving while they swap places above a cheerful little planet Earth wearing a tiny hat. Amazing.
In reality, the two planets will appear as two bright spots of light — Saturn to the upper left of Jupiter, until it eventually passes by the larger planet in the evening of Dec. 21. As the two planets’ orbits overlap, they’ll line up to form a “double planet” and switch places in the night sky. While the phenomenon happens every 20 years, this year is the first time in 800 years (800!) that the celestial event has occurred at night.
The animation was created in collaboration with NASA, according to the new Doodle’s information page. So the plant high-five is basically science. (Not really.)
Check out NASA’s skywatching tips before heading out to see the great conjunction.