FORBES • December 20, 2020
Winter begins on the date of the solstice. This year that’s Monday, December 21, 2020, at 10:03 Universal Time. A solstice is a moment when the Earth’s axis is at its maximum tilt away from the Sun. The ‘Solstice Star?’ refers to the “great conjunction” or “appulse” of Jupiter and Saturn, something that occurs every 20 years, but this year it’s very special. On the evening of Monday, the two gas giants will align from our point of view on Earth and appear to be just 0.1º from each other. That’s remarkably close and is something that hasn’t happened since the 17th century.