Dubai Astronomy Group busts myths about planetary alignment

Dubai: Is the planetary alignment, most pronounced on January 25, a once-in-396-billion-years event? Do the planets actually form a perfect line during the alignment?

Well, according to Dubai Astronomy Group (DAG), “Some viral posts on social media claim that this alignment happens once every 396 billion years, making it the rarest event in cosmic history. But the truth is the universe itself is only 13.7 billion years old, making this claim completely inaccurate.”

It quotes astronomy expert Jamie Carter from a Forbes report, clarifying that, “The 396-billion-year figure comes from Jean Meeus’ 1997 book, Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, where he spoke about an ultra-precise planetary alignment with all eight planets appearing within a 1.8-degree span in the sky. This rare calculation is unrelated to this year’s event, which, while impressive, does not match that extreme configuration.”

According to DAG, another planetary alignment will occur in February 2025, featuring Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars, providing yet another fantastic viewing opportunity for stargazers.

Now, as for the planets forming a perfect line, that too is a myth, says DAG.

“Many believe the planets will align in a perfectly straight line in the sky. The truth is the planets will not form a perfect straight line but will be distributed along an arc across the sky. Their apparent alignment is due to Earth’s perspective rather than an actual straight-line formation in space,” it says.

A planetary alignment occurs when several planets appear to line up in a straight or nearly straight configuration from Earth’s perspective. This alignment is a visual effect caused by their relative positions in the solar system and offers a mesmerizing view.

On January 25, six planets — Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Saturn — will align in the evening sky.

Seeing four or even five bright planets at once does not happen every year, making this event a rare and exciting sight, says DAG.

The visibility of these planets will continue throughout the month, but the best time to observe them is between January 21 and February 21, 2025.

DAG’s viewing event at Al Qudra Desert will now not just be on January 25, but also on January 26 and February 1 from 6pm to 10pm.The entry fee will range from Dh100-Dh150.