6 planets align, 'planet parade' unfolds [Now in space]

The 'alignment' phenomenon of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn can be seen in the southeastern sky in January. [Photo = NASA]



The six planets of the solar system are aligned in the night sky. You can see them floating in a line across the eastern and western night sky. This planetary alignment creates a phenomenon where all



the planets of the solar system (Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) except for Mercury, which sets before the sun, and the Earth on which we stand, appear in the night sky at the same time.



Of course, Uranus and Neptune are far away and cannot be seen with the naked eye, so a telescope is required.



The 'alignment' phenomenon where Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars appear side by side can be seen with the naked eye. During the first few hours after dark in January, Venus and Saturn can be found in the southwest. Jupiter and Mars can be found high above your head.



Uranus and Neptune are also present, but they cannot be seen with the naked eye, so a telescope is required. It could be called a 'planet parade', but NASA explained that it is not an official astronomical term. A



'planetary alignment' phenomenon occurs in the night sky in January, where six planets can be seen. [Photo = Gwacheon Science Museum]



This phenomenon occurs over several days around January 21, which can be observed worldwide. A planetary alignment, where multiple planets can be observed at once, is not something that can be seen every year. In particular, a phenomenon where six planets appear in the same sky is uncommon.



The orbital planes of the eight planets in the solar system are almost identical. Since they orbit within about 7 degrees of the ecliptic plane, which is the Earth's orbital plane, they appear to be located close to the ecliptic in the sky.



This is because the planets were created from the primordial planetary disk when the solar system was formed 4.6 billion years ago. By connecting the positions of the six planets, the position of the ecliptic can be estimated.



If you recall the experience of being blinded by sunlight streaming in obliquely through a car window or a building window, you will know that the sun rises and sets lower in the winter than in the summer. On the other hand, on a winter night, the ecliptic crosses the high southern sky, so you can be lucky enough to observe the six planets lined up in the early evening.



The National Science Museum in Gwacheon (Director Han Hyung-joo) will hold a special observation session at the observatory and planetarium area for 150 minutes starting at 6:30 PM immediately after sunset on the 25th. During the observation session, you can see the six planets of the solar system lined up on the ecliptic crossing east-west in the clear, cloudless night sky. You can



also see Jupiter's four major satellites (Ganymede, Io, Europa, and Callisto) and Saturn's rings through a telescope. The observation session is open to all, regardless of age, and is open to on-site participation.



Han Hyung-joo, the director of the National Science Museum in Gwacheon, said, "This will be an experience where we can learn about the universe we live in and the planets in our solar system in various ways," and added, "I hope that children who dream of becoming space scientists and adults who find leisure in life by encountering space will create meaningful times at the science museum."





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