View of Jupiter captured on February 25, 2017 shows the planet’s Great Red Spot and the younger Red Spot Junior, or Oval BA (lower right) Photo Credit: Damian Peach)

Tonight (May 8), Earth will pass between the sun and Jupiter, putting our solar system’s largest planet directly in opposition to the star. This means that Jupiter will rise shortly after the sun sets and stay up all night, making it the best time of year to see the massive gaseous world. While the planet will shine its brightest tonight, it will not reach its closest distance — 409 million miles (658 million km) — to Earth until May 10.