By Aadhila Nasir
A night sky to remember is dawning upon us but this time the planets will be in the spotlight. On the 28th of February, the rare occurrence of a planetary alignment is expected to happen at dusk. This celestial event features seven planets which are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune that will align along the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the sky.
The evening star, typically called Venus, will be particularly luminous. Mars will glow with its characteristic reddish hue and Jupiter, the largest planet in the Solar System, will be easily distinguishable due to its size. However, spotting Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune will not be as easy to see. A pair of binoculars or a telescope will be necessary to observe these distant worlds. Saturn and its iconic rings may prove to be the most challenging to see due to its proximity to the Sun in the alignment. And the exact timing and location would have to be known to catch a glimpse of this ringed planet.
Why are planetary alignments so rare?
The planets in our Solar System orbit the Sun at varying speeds, determined by their distance from our star. Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, completes an orbit in just 88 Earth days while Neptune, the farthest planet, takes a staggering 165 Earth years to circle the center of the solar system. Due to these different orbital speeds of the planets, any such alignments are uncommon. Occasionally, however, several planets can be roughly lined up on the same side of the Sun. From Earth, if the orbits align just right, we can see multiple planets in our night sky simultaneously. Unfortunately, the next alignment is not expected to happen until 2040.
The Science Behind the Alignment
The alignment is a result of the planets’ orbits intersecting in such a way that they appear close together in the sky. From Earth’s vantage point, the planets will seem to follow the ecliptic. This path is a reflection of the Solar System’s flat, disk-like structure, with all planets orbiting the Sun in roughly the same plane.
How to Observe the Alignment?
- Find a location free of light pollution with a clear view of the horizon. (The best time to view the alignment is just after sunset.)
- Use binoculars or a telescope to see Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune.
The best time to observe each planet before they set can be shown as follows:
- Saturn – Observable before 18:57
- Mercury – Observable before 19:15
- Neptune – Observable before 19:25
- Venus – Observable before 20:05
- Uranus – Observable before 23:00
- Jupiter – Observable before 00:20 (Mar. 01)
- Mars – Observable before 03:00 (Mar. 01)
Sunset is approximately at 18:25 this month, so the seven-planetary alignment will be moderately observable for just a small window of 32 minutes before Saturn sinks beneath the horizon.
The event is a breathtaking reminder of the precision and beauty of our Solar System. It also offers a memorable experience to observe multiple planets in one glance, providing a snapshot of the dynamic movements that govern our cosmic neighborhood.
Aadhila Nasir
2nd year
Faculty of Science
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