Look up! Jupiter and full moon rise together

MADISON, Wisc. (WISH) – If you’re going to see clear skies tonight, you’ll have the chance to witness a beautiful match in space.

Jupiter and Earth’s full moon will pair together just above the eastern horizon. So, once it gets dark, no matter where you live, just look east.

Dr. Jim Lattis, Director of the University of Wisconsin Space Place, said this coupling is not completely uncommon. Jupiter rising with the coincidence of a full moon will occur every few years.

If you’re a budding photographer, you’ll want to mount your camera on a tripod, use a low f-stop, moderate ISO, and keep exposures to less than 15 seconds.

If you have the good fortune to get clear skies Tuesday night, you have plenty of time to see this beautiful sight. The moon and Jupiter will remain near each other all night.

This pairing will allow the average person to observe the moon’s motion.

“One interesting thing for people to notice is, using Jupiter as a reference, how much the moon will move along eastward in its orbit between tonight and tomorrow night. The swift motion of the moon, which is rarely appreciated, will be clearly visible,” Dr. Lattis said.