Jupiter will be its brightest in 59 years Monday. Here’s how to see it for yourself

You may have noticed a bright “star” in the eastern sky after sunset, but that’s not a star: it’s the mighty planet Jupiter, and it’s almost at its brightest.

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, reaches opposition, an event that occurs when a celestial object rises in the east while the sun sets in the west, placing both the sun and the object on opposite sides of the earth.

But what also makes this special is that the planet will be the closest it has been to Earth in 59 years, which means it will also be brighter than usual.

The reason planets vary in their distance from Earth is because their orbits are not perfectly circular, but rather slightly elliptical.

While Jupiter’s opposition occurs roughly every 13 months, it’s not common for it to coincide with its closest approach, making this a very special treat.

How to see it

At its farthest, Jupiter may be as much as 600 million miles away, but by Monday it will be about 350 million miles from Earth. It was last that close in October 1963. And it won’t be that close again by 2129.

You will find the planet to the east after sunset. It’s hard to miss even from a light-polluted city as it’s the brightest object in the sky.

As the night progresses, it climbs higher in the sky, finally appearing in the southeast around 11:00 p.m. ET. on Monday.

You don’t need a telescope or binoculars to see it, but if you have binoculars or a telescope, you can have some fun in the coming days.

Jupiter’s distinctive features include its four brightest moons: Callisto, Io, Ganymede, and Europa. They orbit Jupiter night by night and even hour by hour—if you’re patient—on a timescale visible from Earth.

If you have a telescope, you can see the moons — and the gas planet’s amazing cloud bands, which make for a breathtaking sight. Also, the Great Red Spot will begin its transit — or crossing — at 8:44 p.m. ET on Monday, according to Sky & Telescope magazine. You can find the local time using the publication’s online app, or find their app and other similar ones for your phone or tablet.

Saturn will also be visible in the sky. It is currently due south around 10:00 PM ET, but is more difficult to spot because it is not as bright as Jupiter.

You can find several free apps to download on Android phones and iPhones – like Stellarium, Star Walk, and Sky View – that help you identify what you’re seeing in the night sky, including planets and where to find them.