While social media is buzzing ahead of tonight’s planetary alignment, the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is inviting all amateur astronomers to join them to witness the planets align perfectly with the sun, Cape {town} Etc reports.
This might sound exciting but as earthsky explained, the reality is much less dramatic. The truth is, the so-called ‘great alignment’ isn’t as rare or extraordinary as it’s being made out to be.
What’s actually happening?
Yes, there will be six planets visible in the sky on January 25, but they won’t be neatly aligned in a straight line as some posts suggest. The planets will appear to be in a line, but this is not unusual. The planets in our solar system orbit the Sun in a flat plane, known as the ecliptic, which means they tend to follow the same general path across the sky. So, when multiple planets are visible at once, they naturally appear aligned.
‘While the planets will be visible, and arranged in a line from our point of view, this is nothing unusual,’ says EarthSky’s Will Triggs. ‘The planets always follow this path, so when more than one planet is visible, they appear aligned.’
What will you see on tonight?
On the evening of January 25, look towards the western sky after sunset, and you’ll be able to see four bright planets: Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. Venus will be the brightest and easiest to spot, shining vividly in the twilight. Saturn will be visible just to the left of Venus, sinking toward the horizon. Jupiter will be higher in the sky, while Mars, glowing reddish, will rise in the east soon after sunset.
For those with binoculars or a telescope, Uranus and Neptune will also be visible, but they are much dimmer and harder to spot. Uranus can be found near Jupiter, and Neptune will be near Venus and Saturn.
What about Mercury?
While much of the buzz is about the evening sky, Mercury won’t be visible on January 25. As the closest planet to the Sun, it’s positioned too close to our star to be seen in the evening. However, Mercury will shift into the evening sky by February.
A perfect alignment?
The idea of a perfect planetary alignment, where all eight planets line up on one side of the Sun, is a misconception. While planets can align within a few degrees, a precise alignment will never happen. According to astronomer Jean Meeus, such an event would occur once every 396 billion years.
So, while January 2025 may bring a fantastic sky show, don’t expect a ‘great planetary alignment.’
Meanwhile, the SAAO will be opening it’s doors to all amateur and professional astronomers for a night of stargazing between 8pm and 10pm.
For more information email: [email protected]
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