Astronomers use the term “planetary alignment” to describe when planets come close together on one side of the Sun at the same time.
The planetary parade, which started last month, is almost over. On February 28, all the planets in our solar system will be visible in the night sky for a short time. Scientists say this is a rare event.
After Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune lined up in the sky from January 21 to 29, this will be the last time until 2040 that all seven planets, including Mercury, will align to create a stunning night sky.
What is Planetary Alignment?
Astronomers use planetary alignment to describe the phenomenon when planets gather closely on one side of the Sun at the same time. Any number of planets, ranging from three to eight constitutes an alignment. Five or six planets showing up together is known as a large alignment, with five-planet alignments significantly more frequent than six. However, seven-planet alignments are the rarest of all.
Unlike diagrams and illustrations, the planets will not be visible in a queue. Planets orbit the Sun in different orbits in three-dimensional space which makes it almost impossible for them to come together in a straight line.
NASA explains this by saying, “While it’s true that they [planets] will appear more or less along a line across the sky, that’s what planets always do. That line is called the ecliptic, and it represents the plane of the solar system in which the planets orbit around the Sun,”
“This is, incidentally, why we sometimes observe planets appearing to approach closely to each other on the sky, as we view them along a line while they careen around the cosmic racetrack.”
How to Watch the Planet Parade ?
To see the planetary parade, go to a place away from city lights, like an open area or a hill. If the sky is clear, you should be able to see most of the planets with just your eyes, except for Neptune and Uranus. A telescope can help you spot these two planets.
Mars will be visible in the east, Jupiter and Uranus in the southeast, and Venus, Neptune, and Saturn in the west. January was exciting because of the Quadrantid meteor shower and the partial planetary parade, but February will be even more special because of the rare planetary alignment.
