Jupiter Brightest Of The Year Over Maryland Friday Night

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, and it will loom large over Maryland on Friday night.

The planet will shine in the night sky this weekend, but Jupiter makes its closest approach to Earth on Friday night when it rises in the eastern sky just as the sun sets. Sunset in Maryland will be 7:37 p.m.

The largest planet in the solar system officially reaches opposition — meaning it is on the opposite side of the sky from the sun — and will be the largest, most visible object in the sky from sundown to sunrise, according to National Geographic's website.

Here is an AccuWearther map that shows where viewing will be best:

For Jupiter, opposition means that the planet will come within 414 million miles, making it stunningly bright, outshining even than the nearby star Spica, according to National Geographic.

Jupiter will eventually set in the West around sunrise, according to AccuWeather.

“The best time to observe is when it's highest in the sky which is close to midnight local time,“ AccuWeather Meteorologist Dave Samuhel said in a release.

AccuWeather says no special equipment is needed to see Jupiter as it is one of the five planets visible to the naked eye, although a telescope or binoculars would enhance the view.

“With a simple pair of binoculars, you can spot three or four of Jupiter's largest moons,“ Samuhel said.

Jupiter has 53 named moons, but the four largest moons are the easiest to spot, according to NASA. With a larger telescope, onlookers may be able to see the red cloud bands on Jupiter.

The weather also has to be nice. Here is the weather forecast for the region from the National Weather Service:

• Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 34. Breezy, with a northwest wind 13 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west after midnight.
• Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Photo credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Simon (NASA Goddard)