By T Canchola
Edited by Silas Lucas
In January of this year, a spectacle was visible from the ground, speckling the sky. The wonderful sight of Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. These marvels are visible in a seeming straight line to the naked eye for a period of time due to a partial planetary alignment, also known as a planetary parade (technically not an astronomy term, but it sounds cool!)
Typically characterized by four or five planets becoming evident in the plain atmosphere, and lasting for quite some time, although fairly uncommon. “Planet parades aren’t single-day events, as the planets move too slowly for that. Generally, multi-planet viewing opportunities last for weeks to a month or more,” from Planetary Alignments and Planet Parades by NASA/JPL-Caltech.
So, if you haven’t seen this phenomenon yet, you’re not too late! Most of the planets in the parade can be viewed with no equipment, but as time passes, a telescope may be needed. However, before this outer space show is over, there’s one more surprise in store!
Estimated to take place on February 28th, the planets are getting ready to create a “great planetary parade” in which almost all the planets in our solar system will align roughly along the epileptic (the imaginary line that marks the path of the sun in the day.) This arc of planets will be visible for a few weeks before once again falling out of rhythm and orbiting as normal.
Though this occurrence is not extremely rare, it’s not an everyday event, with the large parades happening about 10-20 years apart from each other . Planetary parades happen every few years, but it is fairly uncommon for seven planets to align, making it a unique and thrilling experience. The next planetary parade (although not guaranteed to host as many celestial bodies) is estimated to be in February of 2028.
Everyone out there still has a chance to witness this marvel of outer space, and it’s definitely something to see. Make sure you catch even a glimpse of it while it’s still here!
Comments