The Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn Has People Talking About The Dark Crystal

On Monday night, those who stepped outside and looked into the southwestern horizon right after sunset were treated do a once in a lifetime celestial event as the planets Jupiter and Saturn appeared in the night sky in a formation many referred to as the "Christmas Star". The exceptionally rare event -- this is the first time the two planets have visibly appeared this close to one another in 800 years -- is technically referred to as a conjunction and it's a name that has people on Twitter drawing comparisons to The Dark Crystal.

On social media Monday, the "great conjunction" became a major trending topic as people got excited to see Jupiter and Saturn come together and while there was a lot of good information being shared -- such as best time to see it, where to look, even how to photograph this rare event -- there was also some serious love for The Dark Crystal's Aughra.

For those who are unaware, in the world of The Dark Crystal, Aughra -- also called Mother Aughra -- is the embodiment of Thra and acts as the world's eyes and voice. She helped guide the Gelfling early on, but eventually ended up having her attention shifted away to the stars after the urSkeks offered her otherworldly knowledge. This prompted her to abandon Thra to explore the Uni-Verse through astral projection, though she did, eventually, return and aid the Gelfling resistance against the Skeksis.

In Dark Crystal lore, the first great conjunction saw the cracking of the Crystal and the arrival of the urSkeks. The second great conjunction saw not only the Skeksis rise to power, but also a shard break from the Crystal. In The Dark Crystal film, a third great conjunction is coming and the Gelfling Jen meets Aughra in her orrery, prompting her to explain exactly what the Great Conjunction is.

"The Great Conjunction is the end of the world! Or the beginning. End, begin, all the same. Big change. Sometimes good, sometimes bad," Aughra explains.

While whether the real great conjunction is quite as powerful as the one on Thra is determined by your own personal beliefs and point of view, given the rarity of the celestial event happening in 2020 certainly got a lot of people making The Dark Crystal comparison. We've rounded up some of our favorites and you can read on to check them out.

And as for the real great conjunction? If you weren't able to see the maximum conjunction tonight, you're not out of luck. The planets will still be very close together through December 25th. And for kids, this may not be the only close conjunction of their lifetimes. Another one will take place in the early morning of March 15, 2080.