Jupiter's 2022 Opposition

In this view, Jupiter shining over the rocky moonlit landscape is about a week away from its 2022 opposition. On 26th September 2022, Jupiter came closest to the Earth since 1963, shining at its brightest at mag. -2.9. Neptune is at its best in 2022, too; although it needs a pointer to find the right area of sky and also binoculars at least (move the slider on the image to show/hide labels). During its 12-year-long lap around the Sun, Jupiter comes closest and shines brightest when it reaches opposition in Pisces, but the exact distance changes slightly from one Pisces-opposition to the next.

The foreground is Karakayalar rock climbing area, set around a geologically young granite outcrop in the steppes of central Anatolia near Sivrihisar, Eskişehir province, Turkey.