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See Again
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0 / 31 Fotos
Seven-planet alignment
- The night of February 28 will offer stargazers the rare opportunity to look up in the night sky and see seven planets at the same time.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
Rare event
- Currently, in January, six planets are visible: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. On February 28, they will be joined by Mercury, producing a rare seven-planet alignment.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
How it works
- Planet alignments are rare, but they happen because the eight major planets of our solar system orbit the Sun on the same flat plane, but at different speeds.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
From time to time
- This means that every now and again, multiple planets line up on the same side of the Sun. If they are not perfectly aligned, the planets appear in an arc.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Beautiful and meaningful
- For people interested in astronomy, planet alignments are a sight to behold. However, they also have scientific implications.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Potential impact on solar activity
- In 2019, for example, researchers suggested that planet alignments may have an impact on solar activity, due to the way they combine the planets’ tidal forces.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Combined tidal pull
- The tidal pull of an individual planet on the Sun is very small. When combined, however, researchers believe that their pull may cause small rotations within the Sun.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Rossby waves
- These rotations are referred to as Rossby waves, and we also see them on Earth, where they cause extreme weather events such as cyclones and anticyclones.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Solar activity cycle
- Some scientists believe that in the Sun, Rossby waves may provide an explanation for why the Sun works on an 11-year cycle that goes from peak activity to low activity.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Not universally accepted
- However, not every expert is convinced by this hypothesis. Indeed, many believe that solar activity can be explained by processes in the Sun alone.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Other implications
- A less contentious implication of planetary alignments is that they can be used to visit multiple different planets in a relatively short period of time.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
Visiting distant planets
- In general, reaching the outer planets with a spacecraft is difficult because they are so far away that they would take decades to reach.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
1966 discovery
- In 1966, however, a NASA scientist worked out that a planetary alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in 1977 would allow astronauts to visit all four planets in just 12 years.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Seizing the opportunity
- Given that the same voyage would take 30 years if the planets were not aligned, NASA scientists seized on the opportunity.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
The Grand Tour
- In 1977, they launched the twin Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft on a so-called "Grand Tour" of the outer solar system.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Unchartered territory
- Voyager 2 was the most successful. It used the alignment to visit all four planets, and became the first spacecraft ever to visit Uranus and Neptune.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Outside our solar system
- Planetary alignments are also useful for learning about what goes on outside of our own solar system. In particular, they help us discover exoplanets (a planet that orbits a star other than our Sun).
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Discovering exoplanets
- When an exoplanet passes in front of its star from our point of view, it dims the light of the star, allowing for the planet’s size and orbit to be discerned.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
The transit method
- This method of discovering an exoplanet is called the transit method, and it has been used to discover many exoplanets in orbit around certain stars.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Studying Trappist-1
- For example, it is thanks to the transit method that we know there are seven Earth-sized planets orbiting Trappist-1, a red dwarf star that is located 40 light-years from our planet.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Atmospheric analysis
- Transits can also be used to study the atmosphere on the exoplanets themselves. Indeed, when a planet passes in front of a star, the star’s light goes through the planet.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
How it works
- Given that the molecules and atoms of different gases absorb the star’s light at different wavelengths, this allows for gases such as carbon dioxide and oxygen to be identified.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Useful tool
- Indeed, scientists owe a lot of their atmospheric composition analyses and the learnings therefrom to planetary alignments.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Larger scale alignments
- Alignments on a much larger scale, namely the alignment of galaxies, can even help scientists learn about the early universe.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Observing the early universe
- In general, it is very difficult to observe galaxies in the early universe because they are so faint and distant.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Huge pull
- However, if a large galaxy, or even a cluster of galaxies, passes between us and a much more distant galaxy, its huge gravitational pull can magnify the light of the more distant object.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Gravitational lensing
- This process is called gravitational lensing, and it allows us to observe and study the farther away of the two galaxies.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
The James Webb Space Telescope
- The work on these huge alignments is done by telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Earendel
- This telescope is used to observe and study distant stars and galaxies, such as Earendel, the furthest known star from planet Earth.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Earendel
- The light from Earendel came from the first billion years of the 13.7-billion-year history of the universe, and it was only visible thanks to gravitational lensing. Sources: (BBC) See also: How NASA astronauts vote from space
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Seven-planet alignment
- The night of February 28 will offer stargazers the rare opportunity to look up in the night sky and see seven planets at the same time.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
Rare event
- Currently, in January, six planets are visible: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. On February 28, they will be joined by Mercury, producing a rare seven-planet alignment.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
How it works
- Planet alignments are rare, but they happen because the eight major planets of our solar system orbit the Sun on the same flat plane, but at different speeds.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
From time to time
- This means that every now and again, multiple planets line up on the same side of the Sun. If they are not perfectly aligned, the planets appear in an arc.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Beautiful and meaningful
- For people interested in astronomy, planet alignments are a sight to behold. However, they also have scientific implications.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Potential impact on solar activity
- In 2019, for example, researchers suggested that planet alignments may have an impact on solar activity, due to the way they combine the planets’ tidal forces.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Combined tidal pull
- The tidal pull of an individual planet on the Sun is very small. When combined, however, researchers believe that their pull may cause small rotations within the Sun.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Rossby waves
- These rotations are referred to as Rossby waves, and we also see them on Earth, where they cause extreme weather events such as cyclones and anticyclones.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Solar activity cycle
- Some scientists believe that in the Sun, Rossby waves may provide an explanation for why the Sun works on an 11-year cycle that goes from peak activity to low activity.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Not universally accepted
- However, not every expert is convinced by this hypothesis. Indeed, many believe that solar activity can be explained by processes in the Sun alone.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Other implications
- A less contentious implication of planetary alignments is that they can be used to visit multiple different planets in a relatively short period of time.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
Visiting distant planets
- In general, reaching the outer planets with a spacecraft is difficult because they are so far away that they would take decades to reach.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
1966 discovery
- In 1966, however, a NASA scientist worked out that a planetary alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in 1977 would allow astronauts to visit all four planets in just 12 years.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Seizing the opportunity
- Given that the same voyage would take 30 years if the planets were not aligned, NASA scientists seized on the opportunity.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
The Grand Tour
- In 1977, they launched the twin Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft on a so-called "Grand Tour" of the outer solar system.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Unchartered territory
- Voyager 2 was the most successful. It used the alignment to visit all four planets, and became the first spacecraft ever to visit Uranus and Neptune.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Outside our solar system
- Planetary alignments are also useful for learning about what goes on outside of our own solar system. In particular, they help us discover exoplanets (a planet that orbits a star other than our Sun).
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Discovering exoplanets
- When an exoplanet passes in front of its star from our point of view, it dims the light of the star, allowing for the planet’s size and orbit to be discerned.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
The transit method
- This method of discovering an exoplanet is called the transit method, and it has been used to discover many exoplanets in orbit around certain stars.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
Studying Trappist-1
- For example, it is thanks to the transit method that we know there are seven Earth-sized planets orbiting Trappist-1, a red dwarf star that is located 40 light-years from our planet.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Atmospheric analysis
- Transits can also be used to study the atmosphere on the exoplanets themselves. Indeed, when a planet passes in front of a star, the star’s light goes through the planet.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
How it works
- Given that the molecules and atoms of different gases absorb the star’s light at different wavelengths, this allows for gases such as carbon dioxide and oxygen to be identified.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Useful tool
- Indeed, scientists owe a lot of their atmospheric composition analyses and the learnings therefrom to planetary alignments.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Larger scale alignments
- Alignments on a much larger scale, namely the alignment of galaxies, can even help scientists learn about the early universe.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Observing the early universe
- In general, it is very difficult to observe galaxies in the early universe because they are so faint and distant.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Huge pull
- However, if a large galaxy, or even a cluster of galaxies, passes between us and a much more distant galaxy, its huge gravitational pull can magnify the light of the more distant object.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Gravitational lensing
- This process is called gravitational lensing, and it allows us to observe and study the farther away of the two galaxies.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
The James Webb Space Telescope
- The work on these huge alignments is done by telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Earendel
- This telescope is used to observe and study distant stars and galaxies, such as Earendel, the furthest known star from planet Earth.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Earendel
- The light from Earendel came from the first billion years of the 13.7-billion-year history of the universe, and it was only visible thanks to gravitational lensing. Sources: (BBC) See also: How NASA astronauts vote from space
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
What does it really mean when the planets align?
The scientific implications of this rare event
© Shutterstock
Over the months of January and February 2025, there will be at least six planets visible from Earth on a clear night. On the night of February 28, they will be joined by another, treating us to a rare seven-planet alignment. But aside from being amazing to look at, planetary alignments such as these are important for scientific research.
Curious as to why? Check out this gallery to find out more.
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