BENGALURU: A rare planetary alignment that began in January this year, expected to dazzle with seven visible planets at its peak on February 28, has now lost much of its appeal. Instead of seven, only four planets will be visible on Friday — fewer than even the six that were visible when the rare celestial phenomenon unfolded.
Researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP) confirmed that Venus, Jupiter and Mars will be seen, while Mercury, though part of the alignment, will remain hidden as it is too close to the Sun. Mercury’s position in the sky means it gets lost in the Sun’s bright glare, making it hard to spot.
This rare phenomenon -- planetary alignment, or planetary parade -- will not be seen again until 2040. This phenomenon occurs when multiple planets align along the ecliptic plane. While smaller alignments happen more often, this one is significant as it involves all seven visible planets. While Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter can be seen with the naked eye, Uranus and Neptune require telescopes for visibility.
JNP Director BR Guruprasad said while Mercury will join the planetary alignment on Friday, it will remain hidden and won’t be visible even through a telescope.
He explained that Mercury, being just 60 million kilometers away from the Sun, gets lost in the Sun’s glare, making it difficult to spot. Moreover, factors like Earth’s cloud cover, atmospheric conditions and light pollution can further affect visibility, making it challenging to observe the alignment clearly, he said.
Guruprasad explained that this time, even Uranus and Neptune, which were previously visible through a telescope, have become difficult to spot. Meanwhile, Saturn, which was prominently seen on the western horizon until a few days ago, is now less visible as it has moved closer to the horizon.
He added that Saturn can only be seen in a very dark, pollution-free environment, and the current conditions in Bengaluru are not ideal for clear observation.
Researchers said though the planets look like they are lining up in the sky, they are actually still millions or even billions of kilometers apart in space. The alignment is just how it appears from Earth, like an optical illusion.
Even though scientists can predict these events, small changes in the planets’ movement, Sun’s effect, or even sudden changes in Earth’s atmosphere can make a difference in what we actually see. This is why the number of visible planets can sometimes change at the last moment, they said.