Jupiter Ascending in Dubai on Friday

This Friday, Dubai residents and visitors will be able to observe yet another rare celestial event. They will be able to see Jupiter, the biggest planet in our solar system, with a naked eye.

One of the most anticipated movies of 2015 is Jupiter Ascending staring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum. The film’s international release is this week and it will also arrive in Dubai on February 5th. More importantly, however, the launch date of the movie times with another special natural event – Jupiter’s opposition to the Earth.

If this does not ring a bell for you, it means that this week the largest planet in our solar system will be at its closest to Earth. As a result, Jupiter will be the second brightest natural object in the night sky aside from the Moon.

This celestial event can be observed in the northern hemisphere. Astronomy enthusiasts will also have the chance to see it. Moreover, they will not even need to use a telescope to spot Jupiter in the sky.

Still, if you want to see Jupiter in all of its glamour, you will need a telescope. After all, the planet is over 600 million km away from Earth. In fact, astronomers explain that those who observe the event through a more powerful telescope, will even be able to spot the planet’s four Galilean moons and its red bands.

For those, who do not have a telescope at hand, Jupiter will appear as a small, but very bright star. It will be positioned near the Moon and it will appear in the night sky not long after the Sun sets down.

If you do not have a telescope, but you still want to see Jupiter in detail, you can join the outdoor event organized by the astronomy group Café Sci. The event will take place on February 6th (Friday), near Jebel Ali Equestrian Club and Racecourse. It will kick off at 6.30 p.m. and it will continue until 9 p.m.