Appulses of Jupiter and Saturn

Abstract

The latest conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurred at an optical distance of 6 arc minutes on 21 December 2020. We re-analysed all encounters of these two planets between -1000 and +3000 CE, as the extraordinary ones (<10${}^{\prime }$) take place near the line of nodes every 400 years. An occultation of their discs did not and will not happen within the historical time span of $\pm$5,000 years around now. When viewed from Neptune though, there will be an occultation in 2046.

3 pages, 3 figs, 1 table