Weekly Curated Astronomy News
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Published on Sun, Dec 20, 2020

Great Jupiter and Saturn conjunction, China’s FAST radio telescope is ready for foreign scientists and unusual dark storm on Neptune

Jupiter and Saturn great conjunction

Jupiter and Saturn great conjunction Image Credit: Stellarium Astronomy Software

Amazing sight to be seen in the night sky on December 21. It’s been almost 400 years since Jupiter and Saturn were this close. The separation this time around will only be a tenth of a degree. If you have binoculars or a telescope make sure you look up in the southwest direction in early evenings on and around December 21.

Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) ready for visitors

China will open their Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) to foreign scientists in 2021.

Biggest radio telescope in the world located in Pingtang County, Guizhou, southwest China is set to open its doors to scientists around the world. “Our scientific committee aims to make FAST increasingly open to the international community,” said Wang Qiming, chief inspector of FAST’s operations and development.

Unusual dark storm spotted on Neptune

Neptune great dark spot Image Credit: NASA/Hubble Space Telescope

Astronomers spotted a strange dark storm movement on Neptune. Images from Hubble Space Telescope reveal that the storm first spotted in 2018 is not following the usual pattern as it made a U-turn and is moving back northwards.