Skywatchers got an astronomical treat on Wednesday night as a blazing object appeared next to the bright full moon. That shining object? Jupiter.
Jupiter and the moon rose in the east-northeast, opposite of the sunset. Even though the moon is more than 1,500 times closer to the Earth, Jupiter held its own in the night sky. In fact its presence was so dominant that it could be seen with the naked eye, even in major urban areas like New York City.
If you were one of the lucky stargazers to have a telescope, even if it was just a small one, you were also able to see Jupiter's signature markings, including its belts, spots and rifts. You could also spot the planet's four Galilean moons.
Jupiter is about 391 million miles away from Earth at its closest approach.