Last month, a cloudless sky let stargazers witness an attractive pairing between the crescent moon and Jupiter. The moon has now started a new cycle of phases and is passing Jupiter again as it tracks away from the sunset through the ecliptic and zodiac.

Tonight, stargazers can see the 4-day-old waxing crescent sitting about 10 degrees above Jupiter in the south-southwestern sky at 7.

You may notice when you look for this eye-catching pairing tonight that Jupiter is closer to the horizon than it was in January. Last month, Jupiter was sitting about 40 degrees above the horizon at 7 p.m. during its pairing with the moon. Tonight, the Jovian Giant will only sit about 25 degrees above the horizon.

Over the next two months, Jupiter will continue to sink lower and set earlier each evening. One month from tonight, stargazers will find Jupiter sitting only 10 degrees above the western horizon in evening twilight when it's passed by a 3-day-old crescent moon.

据新华社电 春节长假木星最闪亮。中科院紫金山天文台研究员王思潮向记者通报，7日天宇将上演木星合月的奇特天象，届时如果天气晴朗，公众可观赏到木星与弯月近距离接触的美妙场景。

王思潮介绍，行星和月亮正好运行到同一经度上，两者距离达到最近，这一天象叫行星合月。一年中行星合月的现象会发生几十次，但“木星合月”是其中观赏效果比较好的。

在太阳系八大行星中，木星的体积和质量都是最大。它的质量是其他七大行星总和的2.5倍多，是地球的318倍。按照与太阳的距离由近到远排，木星位列第五。

王思潮介绍，在天气晴好的条件下，7日夜幕降临时分，初五的娥眉月将如小船般飘荡在天幕之上，弯月右上方不远处，木星犹如月亮船上抛下的一颗明珠，闪闪发光。两者近距离接触，为公众奉献一幕精彩的“星月童话”。有条件的公众还可尝试借助于中长焦镜头，将这出木星合月的好戏拍摄下来。