A rare astronomical event may give Australians cause to look to the night sky this month.
Jupiter is set to form one point of a celestial triangle in April along with two of the brightest stars in the solar system; Arcturus and Spica.
The spectacle will be visible to the naked eye, and although it could be seen in 2017, after September it will not form again until 2030.
Why is the triangle so special?
The shape was dubbed the ‘Jupiter Triangle’ by US astronomy lecturer Joe Rao.
Triangles are a common shape among the stars, but the Jupiter Triangle is an unusual and temporary occurrence as one of the points is a planet.
As Jupiter is moving across the night sky, it also means the triangle will continuously change shape.
Fred Watson, an astronomer at the Australian Astronomical Observatory in Sydney, hopes the event will attract attention.
“The science of astronomy is going through a Golden Age, with discoveries occurring almost weekly,” he told SBS News.
“Looking at Jupiter in the April sky is the first step to connecting with that.”
How can I see it?
Jupiter is currently very prominent in the Australian night sky. Mr Watson said it can be seen from almost anywhere, including light-polluted cities.
It can easily be seen by looking to the East from when Jupiter rises (from about 7pm on the East Coast of Australia). The triangle formation will be best seen throughout April.
What else should I look for?
In just a few weeks, stargazers will also be able to spot the brightest of all the planets; Venus, when looking to the West.
“It will become dazzling,” Mr Watson said.
The Jupiter Triangle is also not the only significant three-pointed-shape of the night sky. Mr Watson said its size is similar to another famous celestial triangle.
“It is in many ways reminiscent of what is called in the Southern Hemisphere the ‘Winter Triangle’,” he said.
Although not as bright as the Summer Triangle in the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Triangle is made of the same three stars – Vega, Altair, and Deneb. It can be viewed with binoculars from about August, although it may be difficult to spot in southern Australia.
