December 5,2020
Just in time for Christmas, Jupiter and Saturn will come closer than they have since the Middle Ages
正好趕上聖誕節，木星和土星將比中世紀以來更加接近
The two largest planets in our solar system are coming closer together than they have been since the Middle Ages, and it's happening just in time for Christmas.
太陽系中最大的兩顆行星比中世紀以來的任何時候都靠得更近，而這一切發生的時間正好趕上聖誕節。
So, there are some things to look forward to in the final month of 2020.
所以，在2020年的最後一個月，有一些事情值得期待。
On the night of December 21, the winter solstice, Jupiter and Saturn will appear so closely aligned in our sky that they will look like a double planet. This close approach is called a conjunction.
在冬至的12月21日晚上，木星和土星在我們的天空中排成一條直線，看起來就像一個雙行星。這種非常緊密的靠近被稱為結合。
"Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to one another," said Rice University astronomer and professor of physics and astronomy Patrick Hartigan in a statement.
萊斯大學天文學家、物理學和天文學教授派屈克·哈蒂根在一份聲明中說:「這兩顆行星之間平面距離靠近的現象非常罕見，大約每20年發生一次，但這種結合非常罕見，因為這兩顆行星看上去非常接近。」
"You'd have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky."
「你必須回到1226年3月4日黎明之前，才能看到夜空中這些物體之間在平面上的靠近。」
If you're a stargazer, you've likely noticed Jupiter and Saturn have been getting closer together since the summer. And they're currently visible in our night sky, inching ever closer to one another.
如果你是一個天文愛好者，你可能已經注意到自夏天以來木星和土星的距離越來越近了。它們現在可以在我們的夜空中看到，彼此越來越近。
But between December 16 and 25, they will become even cozier. Look for the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction low in the western sky for about an hour after sunset each evening during this time.
但在12月16日至25日之間，他們將變得更加緊密。在此期間，每天傍晚日落後約一小時，在西部天空中尋找木星土星結合的景象。
"On the evening of closest approach on Dec(ember) 21 they will look like a double planet, separated by only 1/5th the diameter of the full Moon," Hartigan said. "For most telescope viewers, each planet and several of their largest moons will be visible in the same field of view that evening."
Hartigan說:「在12月21日最接近地球的晚上，它們看起來像一顆雙行星，距離只有滿月直徑的五分之一。」「對於大多數天文望遠鏡的觀察者來說，每個行星和它們的幾個最大的衛星都可以在當晚的同一視野中看到。」
While these two planets may appear close, they are still hundreds of millions of miles apart, according to NASA.
據美國宇航局稱，雖然這兩顆行星看起來很近，但它們之間仍有數億英裡的距離。
Hope for clear skies because the conjunction will be visible around the world, with the best perspective for those near the equator.
希望有晴朗的天空，因為地球上所有的人都能看到這張照片，對赤道附近的人來說，這是最好的視角。
"The further north a viewer is, the less time they'll have to catch a glimpse of the conjunction before the planets sink below the horizon," Hartigan said.
Hartigan說:「觀測者越往北，在行星沒入地平線之前，他們捕捉到結合的時間會減少。」
The planets will be bright enough to be viewed in twilight, which may be the best time for many US viewers to observe the conjunction.
行星將足夠明亮，可以在黃昏時觀看，這可能是許多美國觀測者觀察合相的最佳時間。
"By the time skies are fully dark in Houston, for example, the conjunction will be just 9 degrees above the horizon," Hartigan said. "Viewing that would be manageable if the weather cooperates and you have an unobstructed view to the southwest."
哈蒂根說:「例如，當休斯頓的天空完全黑下來的時候，這種結合的雙星距離地平線只有9度。」「如果天氣很好，你可以很清晰的看到西南方向的天空。」
If you're in New York or London, or along those latitudes, try to spot the conjunction right after sunset. Waiting an hour after the sun sets will only put the planets closer to the horizon, making them more difficult to spot.
如果你在紐約或倫敦，或沿著這些緯度地區，試著在日落後去發現這個聯合雙星。在太陽落山後等待一小時只會讓行星更接近地平線，讓它們更難被發現。
The best conditions to see this astronomical event will include a clear southwestern horizon and no low clouds in the distance, Hartigan said. Binoculars or a telescope may help you distinguish the planets. A telescope would enable a view of Saturn's rings and the brightest moons of both planets, he said.
哈蒂根說，觀測這一天文現象的最佳條件是西南地平線，並且遠處沒有低雲。雙筒望遠鏡或望遠鏡可以幫助你區分行星。他說，望遠鏡可以觀測到土星環和兩顆行星最亮的衛星。
If you miss this conjunction and want to see the planets with the same proximity, just higher in the sky, it won't happen until March 15, 2080 -- and then not again until after 2400.
如果你錯過了這次雙星結合，而想要再次看到距離相同的行星，這種情況要到2080年3月15日才會發生——2400年以後才會再次發生。