Sky watchers could witness a breathtaking celestial spectacle on February 28, with reports claiming that all the planets in our solar system will align. This event marks the final occurrence of an alignment involving all seven planets — including Mercury — until 2040.
Planetary ‘parades’ are not uncommon and one began in January this year, making Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune visible. This planetary parade is expected to reach its peak in February when Mercury joins the display.
Mercury, which orbits closest to the sun, is supposed to be the extra seventh planet that completes this planet parade, making all Solar System worlds visible in the sky at once on February 28 this year.
Mercury is not typically visible at night because it is always very close to the Sun in the sky, meaning it can only be seen shortly after sunset or before sunrise during twilight hours when it is at its greatest elongation (farthest from the Sun).
What exactly does “planetary alignment” mean?
As quoted by NASA, ” Planetary alignment” can refer to several different phenomena. As the planets of our solar system orbit the Sun, they occasionally line up in space in events called oppositions and conjunctions. A planetary alignment can also refer to apparent lineups in our sky with other planets, the Moon, or bright stars.”
To observe the planetary parade, one can go to open space from where the sky is clear, away from city lights. Most planets can be seen with the naked eye if the weather is clear, except for Uranus and Neptune, which may require a telescope for better viewing.
Are planet ‘parades’ rare?
According to NASA, “planet parade”, which isn’t a technical term in astronomy, and “planetary alignments” aren’t unusual but what makes these events special is the opportunity to observe multiple planets simultaneously with the naked eye.
As per NASA, “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. Even five-planet events last for several days as Mercury briefly emerges from and returns to the Sun’s glare.”
“On most nights, weather permitting, you can spot at least one bright planet in the night sky. While two or three planets are commonly visible in the hours around sunset, occasionally four or five bright planets can be seen simultaneously with the naked eye. These events, often called “planet parades” or “planetary alignments,” can generate significant public interest. Though not exceedingly rare, they’re worth observing since they don’t happen every year,” NASA says.
