Jupiter is currently shining big and bright in the evening sky as it reaches opposition, a position where Earth catches up with the planet every 13 months. At its closest point, about 380 million miles away, Jupiter will be visible in the eastern horizon after sunset and continue to rise throughout the evening.
This opportunity arises because Jupiter is exactly opposite the Sun in our sky, similar to the full moon’s opposition. The next opposition won’t occur until Saturday, when clear skies will allow for a great view of the planet. As the days go by, Jupiter will move further away from Earth and appear slightly higher above the horizon.
The brightness of Jupiter’s appearance is due to its distance from our atmosphere. With an atmosphere about 100 miles thick, we look through more atmosphere when looking at objects closer to the horizon. This means that stars near the horizon are usually dimmer than those directly overhead.
For those interested in calculating oppositions of Jupiter and their distances, a Python code based on NASA’s data is available on a GitHub repository.
Source: https://www.wral.com/story/jupiter-shines-big-and-bright-at-opposition/21757987