The year 2025 will be amazing for astronomy enthusiasts, with several planetary alignments predicted. The most significant will occur on February 28, when seven planets of the Solar System will be visible simultaneously.
“Planetary alignment” is a visual effect, not an actual astronomical phenomenon. The planets are not truly aligned but appear to be when observed from Earth.
This effect occurs because the planets orbit the Sun along a path determined by gravity, known as the “ecliptic.” This imaginary line makes the planets seem closer, even though they are far apart.
“By observing them, we realize that we follow a line while traveling along the ‘cosmic racetrack,'” explains NASA. Some planets have progressively tilted orbits relative to this line, but all remain nearly on the same plane, like the grooves of a disc, according to LiveScience.
These conjunctions are common with up to six planets, as will happen in January and August 2025. However, an alignment with seven planets visible simultaneously is rare. This specific event, occurring on February 28, 2025, will not happen again until 2492.
“Seeing four or five planets stretched out at the same time is not an annual event, and ‘parade of planets’ is just a non-technical term used popularly,” NASA states.
Predicted alignments for 2025
The first of the year’s three alignments will take place on January 21, when four planets will be visible along an imaginary line in the sky. Venus and Saturn will appear in the west during the early evening, while Jupiter will be higher, and Mars will rise in the east.
Mars, in this case, will be in opposition to the Sun relative to Earth, forming a straight line—a phenomenon that occurs every two years. Uranus and Neptune will also align, but they will only be observable with the aid of telescopes.
On February 28, Mercury will join the scene, making seven planets visible simultaneously. Later, on August 11, six planets will be observable: Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. As in February, telescopes will be needed to identify all celestial bodies.
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Source: DW / NASA. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
