[The Epoch Times, December 26, 2022](Reported by Epoch Times reporter Lin Da)solar systemall ofplanetGathered in the night sky recently to end 2022 with a spectacular show.
In the next few days, people will be able to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn simultaneously with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune will be visible with binoculars or a telescope.
virtual telescopeAstronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project told Newsweek: “On recent nights, shortly after sunset, we can seesolar systemall ofplanet. This happens occasionally, but each time it is spectacular. “
Plus, after December 24, the Moon will be visible from anywhere on Earth if the sky is clear.
From the southwestern horizon, the planets visible to the naked eye will be in the following order: Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. Mercury will be the hardest planet to observe because it is in the brighter part of the sky. While it’s still visible to the naked eye, Mercury and Venus are much easier to see with binoculars.
One also needs binoculars to find Uranus, which lies between Mars and Jupiter, and Neptune, which lies between Saturn and Jupiter. “This way, we can see entire families of planets,” Massey said.
This “planetary parade” doesn’t happen very often, but it’s not that rare either—the alignment happens on average every one to two years or so.
The last time all the planets were in the sky at the same time was in June of this year. At that time, five planets visible to the naked eye were also lined up in the sky in exactly the same order as they orbited the Sun—namely, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. A connection like this hasn’t happened in 18 years.
During this event, Uranus and Neptune are also visible with binoculars, but they are not in order of increasing distance from the Sun.
The current “planetary parade” will run until the end of the year, when Mercury will disappear, so you’ll only have a few days to catch a glimpse.
If people prefer to view this celestial event from the comfort of their own homes,virtual telescopeThe project (Virtual Telescope Project, www.virtualtelescope.eu) will provide a live broadcast showing the many planets and moons above the skyline seen from Rome.
The Virtual Telescope Project is operated by the Bellatrix Observatory in Ceccano, Italy, providing remote access to the telescope.
during christmasliveScheduled to start at 4 p.m. That’s 11 a.m. ET on December 28. ◇
Responsible editor: Li Qiong#