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In pictures: The great conjunction

22 December 2020

Mike Blake / Reuters Groups of people gather near a Christmas tree on the beach

It might be Christmas, but for keen stargazers this was the time when Jupiter and Saturn crossed paths in the night sky, reaching their closest point on 21 December. Photographers have been out recording the moment.

Across the world people gathered around telescopes to view the rare celestial event.

Jose Luis Gonzalez / Reuters A family with a telescope in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico — Across the world people gathered around telescopes to view the rare celestial event.

Some like astronomer Blake Estes in Santa Barbara, California, used high-end telescopes to photograph the moment the planets seemingly came together, though they remained about 450 million miles apart in space.

Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images Astronomer Blake Estes — Some like astronomer Blake Estes in Santa Barbara, California, used high-end telescopes to photograph the moment the planets seemingly came together, though they remained about 450 million miles apart in space.

Others use their mobile phones to record the event.

Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Man taking pictures in Burnsville, USA — Others use their mobile phones to record the event.

This is the moment when Jupiter and Saturn started to form a double planet in night sky in an event known as the great conjunction.

Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Image Jupiter and Saturn — This is the moment when Jupiter and Saturn started to form a double planet in night sky in an event known as the great conjunction.

The two planets have not been this close to each other in a dark sky for 800 years, and are seen here from southern Spain.

Jon Nazca / Reuters Jupiter (below) and Saturn (above) — The two planets have not been this close to each other in a dark sky for 800 years, and are seen here from southern Spain.

To the west of Kuwait City, astro-photographers recorded the moment.

Yasser Al-Zayyat / AFP Photographers in the desert — To the west of Kuwait City, astro-photographers recorded the moment.

In Damascus, people gathered on roofs to try and view the event.

Youssef Badawi / EPA Syrians observe through telescopes — In Damascus, people gathered on roofs to try and view the event.

The two planets can just be seen as the Statue of Liberty in New York City looks on.

Bjoern Kils/New York Media Boat/Reuters Jupiter and Saturn as they appear close together — The two planets can just be seen as the Statue of Liberty in New York City looks on.

In Brooklyn, a sculpture of star-shaped candles titled entitled Labyrinth of Light, by Debra Sheldon, celebrates the event.

Erik Pendzich/REX/Shutterstock A sculpture of star-shaped candles — In Brooklyn, a sculpture of star-shaped candles titled entitled Labyrinth of Light, by Debra Sheldon, celebrates the event.

Outside the Nehru Planetarium in India's capital Delhi, a man uses a laser pointer to highlight the planets.

Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images A man uses a laser pointer — Outside the Nehru Planetarium in India's capital Delhi, a man uses a laser pointer to highlight the planets.

The conjunction, which has become known popularly as the Christmas Star, is seen here above Mount Tamalpais in California.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Great Conjunction above Mt Tamalpais, California — The conjunction, which has become known popularly as the Christmas Star, is seen here above Mount Tamalpais in California.

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