On August 28, the night sky will witness an amazing sight. astronomical rare: Alignment of the six planets. This event that This will not happen again for another decade, as it can be observed from almost any point on the globe during the night hours.
According to the standards
Planets Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune They will be displayed parallel, providing a spectacular view. In many countries, early Wednesday morning will be the best time to view this phenomenon, although visibility may vary depending on location and time.
According to Telmo Fernandez, director of the Madrid Planetarium, in statements to Europa Press TV, “The visual sensation is that during sunrise on Wednesday we will see all the planets more or less in the same direction in space.”
These types of alignments occur several times a year, but what is exceptional about this event is the inclusion of six planets, instead of the usual five. Some of these planets can be seen with the naked eye, others, such as Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars or telescopes for observation.
Fernandez recommends staying away from big cities to avoid light pollution, although he stresses that they can also be visible from urban areas.
From any point on Earth you can see Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in a practical alignment.
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How do we distinguish between stars and planets?
To distinguish planets from stars Fernandez explains that planets don’t blink. “With stars we can see how their brightness fluctuates slightly, whereas planets have a constant light in their brightness because they don’t have their own light, and what we see is what they reflect from the sun,” he explained.
The director of the Madrid Planetarium recalls that near-perfect alignments in the past were so impressive that they could have inspired the Star of Bethlehem theory, by adding the brightness of several planets and giving the impression of a single bright star in the sky.
Planetary Alignment Classification
The phenomena of planetary alignment are classified according to the number of celestial bodies involved. Several types of alignment are identified, each with its own characteristics:
- Minor planet alignment: This alignment includes three planets.
- Minor planet alignment: This type of alignment consists of four planets, and presents a more impressive sight than a mini alignment.
- Major planetary alignment: This term is reserved for events where five or six planets line up in the sky, such as the one that will occur on August 28.
- Great Planetary Alignment (Complete): It includes all the planets in the solar system and sometimes Pluto. It is an extremely rare event and is of great interest to professional and amateur astronomers alike.
If there are only two planets close together in the sky, the correct term is “conjunction” and is not considered a planetary alignment. These encounters are also interesting to observe, although they do not reach the magnitude of an alignment.
European Press
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*This content was created with the help of artificial intelligence, based on information from Europa Press, and reviewed by the journalist and editor.
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