News

Cosmic spectacle for stargazers

This year promises to be exceptional for stargazers and anybody interested in the night sky.

This planetary extravaganza is not confined to just one or two nights but will last for four weeks, but the best viewing conditions when cloud cover is not an issue, will be between 21 and 25 January. The term used when four or more planets align is called a Planetary Parade, although this is not an actual astronomical term according to NASA, the American Space Agency. On Saturday, January 25 is seen as the peak of the celestial event, the extraordinary alignment of six planets (briefly seven) in our solar neighbourhood can already be witnessed.
Many people think that the six-planet alignment will see six planets lining up in a straight line between the Earth and the Sun. This is not the case. The six planets, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn will all be visible at once, meaning that all are on the same side of the sun as our planet, earth. Although all six planets will be in the same plane, only four, Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn will be visible with the naked eye. Observers will need to use a telescope to see Neptune and Uranus. In a rare treat Mercury will also briefly join the alignment, making it seven planets in the night sky at once, marking this indeed as a unique viewing experience for stargazers and astronomers alike.
While Venus is usually the brightest planet in the night sky, Mars, which is positioned directly opposite the Sun, from Earth will seem the biggest and brightest, with its distinctive red glow. On the night of January 17 and 18, Jupiter and Venus will appear to be only two fingers apart.
The best time to witness this Planetary Parade will be from just after sunset to about 21:00, weather permitting. Mars will be visible on the eastern horizon, while Jupiter will be just a bit higher up in the sky. Saturn a yellowish star near the western horizon, and Venus (the Evening Star) will be easily visible. Both of them will be close together.
The rest of 2025 will offer several meteor showers, three Supermoons on October 7, November 5, and December 4, and a lunar eclipse, amongst other events.

At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here.

Related Articles

Check Also
Close
Back to top button