Did you miss the rare celestial event today? The unique planetary alignment which occurred today i.e. June 3 before sunrise will have another opportunity for sky gazers. Called as the parade of planets 2024, six planets i.e. Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune were to link up before dawn on June 3. Earlier, NASA had said that this planetary parade won’t offer much of a view. As per Ronald Gamble, a theoretical astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, “he sun’s going to be photobombing the parade.”
What is planetary alignment?
Planetary alignment describes the rare positioning of planets within the solar system. During this phenomenon, the planets seem to align in a straight line, creating an illusion. It’s important to note that planetary alignment is more of an optical illusion than an actual event.
According to NASA, planetary alignment takes place when two more more planets come close together int the sky to form a conjunction, which is called as ‘alignment’.
When will the next planetary alignment occur?
According to a report from Today.com, the next planetary alignment is scheduled for August 28 and will also involve the same six planets. Additionally, the report states that in 2025, three similar events are anticipated. The first alignment is set for January 18, the second for February 28, and the third for August 9. The second and third occurrences will collectively feature seven prominent planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
What is the best time to spot planet parade?
NASA stated that the parade of planets can be witnessed ‘exactly one hour before sunrise’, based on their local time. Due to the bright light, it may be challenging to observe all the planets, with only the Moon, Mars, and Saturn being clearly visible in the sky. Other planets would likely require the use of a telescope for observation.
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Published: 03 Jun 2024, 08:03 AM IST