Star light Star bright! Look skyward tonight for once in a lifetime celestial event

Since mid-November the two planets have been on a track toward an alignment that comes to fruition tonight. (Earthsky.org photo)

Tonight the heavens will provide a breathtaking respite from the challenges of 2020 with the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn into a stunningly bright and beautiful "double planet" known as the Christmas Star.

The last time the two planets were this close was almost 400 years ago, according to earthsky.org

Biblical scholars believe such a conjunction may have aided the Three Wise Men in their search for the manger where Jesus was born.

Scientists can't predict whether the two planets - the largest in our solar system - will actually appear as one, or just very, very close even though they're 400 million miles apart.

However close they appear, it is expected to be a wondrous sight, celestial aficionados agree.

Such events when two planets align are known as a "great conjunction."

To try to get a look at what may be the view of a lifetime find a large field or ballpark and look to the southwest sky about an hour after sunset.

Today is also the Winter Solstice, so you shouldn't have to stay up too late.

If you miss this one, it's a stretch to the next, which occurs on March 15, 2080.