Jupiter to be big and bright in the night sky as it gets close to the Earth, Nasa says

(NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill)

Jupiter is bigger and brighter in the night sky than any other time of the year, Nasa says.

The planet is currently at its closest to Earth, meaning that it can be spotted easily in the sky without any special equipment.

And while it looks beautiful enough with the naked eye, peering through binoculars or a small telescope could offer a detailed look at the planet.

Catching it with relatively inexpensive equipment could even allow for a view of its four biggest moons, as well as the bands that go around the planet.

The planet should rise at dusk and stay visible all through the night over June, the space agency said.

It noted that anyone who fell for the planet while looking at it should have a flick through its images of Jupiter, taken using the Juno spacecraft, which show the beautiful swirls of its surface in unprecedented detail.

Jupiter reaches astronomers call opposition on 10 June. The yearly event happens when the Earth, Sun and Jupiter get into a straight line, with the Earth sat in the middle.

It makes it the best time to see the planet: it is visible throughout the night, and is at its closest to Earth.

Opposition happens on just the 10th, but it is still very visible throughout the whole month. It means that looking up at any time throughout June should allow it to be seen.