Parade of planets is one of the most beautiful space phenomena. People have shown interest in this event since ancient times. It is believed that the Mayan calendar ends with the date of the parade, which should lead to the death of all life on Earth. However, this is just an astronomical event that occurs with a certain frequency.
Types of parade
For several millennia, people have been afraid of the alignment of the planets, believing that it could lead to the end of the world. But this event did not happen.
Astronomers around the world have been observing a beautiful and unusual phenomenon in the night sky for many centuries. Based on all observations, several parades were identified:
- Big - takes place every twenty years. Six planets take part in it.
- Small - only four celestial bodies take part in this phenomenon. This event happens once a year.
- Full parade. Such a significant event occurs once every 170 years. During it, all the planets of our system become oneline.
- Mini parade. This is a phenomenon in which three planets line up in a row. This phenomenon is observed 1-2 times a year.
Also, the parade can be visible and invisible. The first type includes a glider configuration, when the five planets of our solar system, passing through the night sky, approach each other at a very close distance and become visible in a small sector of the sky - 10-400. Usually such parades are seen either in the evening or in the morning.
Among all the parades of the planets in ancient times, it was the complete one that caused the appearance of various scary stories about the upcoming end of the world. Although this phenomenon is still not fully understood, and there is no information about how the proximity of the planets affects the Earth. Some are convinced that a full parade is capable of causing natural disasters, various catastrophes, but so far scientists have not confirmed this. As practice shows, nothing terrifying happens. Celestial bodies line up, there are no global catastrophes, no apocalypse, but you can see a beautiful phenomenon in the sky.
The best place to watch the parade of planets is in Europe and Russia. In those moments when this event occurs at the end of January - the beginning of February, you can see the planets with the naked eye.
Invisible parade of planets means lining up in a row of visible and invisible objects on one side of the Sun in a small sector. In such variations, most often Venus and Mercury remain invisible.
Celestial bodies
And which planets take part in the parade of planets? ATdifferent types of parades are attended by different celestial bodies. So, in a small parade, Saturn, Mars, Venus and Mercury line up in one line. The grand parade is characterized by the alignment of six planets: Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn and Uranus.
The mini-parade consists of only three planets. Sometimes there is an extended mini-parade - this is when our Moon and bright stars become in line with three planets.
The most significant phenomenon in our solar system is a full parade. All the planets of the solar system take part in it. The last time this phenomenon could be observed in 1982, at that time it was believed that there were 9 of them.
Dates
Not so long ago, astronomers watched a mini-parade. Three planets took part in it: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, as well as the Moon and two very bright stars - Antares and Spica. This event took place on May 3, 2018, and when will the parade of the planets be next? The same combination of celestial bodies can be seen in about a year.
Scientists predict a parade, which will be attended by Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Venus and Jupiter, as well as the Moon, in March 2022, but at this time it is unlikely that the inhabitants of Russia will be able to see it. But you should not be upset, a parade of five planets, when Venus, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter will be visible in the sky, will be clearly visible in June 2022. This combination of celestial objects is rare.
The parade of six celestial bodies took place in 2017.
The last full parade was in 1982, and the next one will not be until 2161. This phenomenonhappens every 170 years. All eight planets of the solar system take part in this event, and with them the former ninth planet - Pluto.
Galactic parade
It happens that at a certain point (point of the winter solstice) the Sun and the Earth become on the same line of the equator of our galaxy. At this point, the Sun is at its center. According to scientists, this rare phenomenon occurs every 26,000 years.
During the parade of the planets at the solstice, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Earth and other planets line up, and the Sun is at the center of the Milky Way. On this day, not only the planets of our solar system, but also other systems line up in one line, forming one line from the center of the galaxy. This phenomenon occurs very rarely. Although many scientists are skeptical about this information, since so far no one has been able to prove the existence of such a parade, let alone see it. There are only suggestions of the existence of a galactic parade that have come down to us in the messages of the Maya.
Full parade
The presented photos of the parade of planets show a bewitching picture: all eight bodies lined up with the Sun. And what would this event look like from those distant planets?
When looking at this event from distant objects, one could see the passage of one planet over another, that one over a third, and so on. In other words, if all bodies were located on the same side of the Sun at the same time, then it would be possible to see from Neptune how Uranus passed through Saturn, and that, inin turn, along Jupiter, behind which Mars, Earth, Mercury and Venus would hide, passing across the solar disk. However, this is not possible. In fact, during the parade, Venus and Mercury are not visible, since they are located either in front of the Sun or behind it. Other planets that are found on the same side as the Earth are visible all night in the sky, and the rest are covered by our luminary.
Conclusion
Information about the dates of the parade of the planets allows people to see a unique astronomical phenomenon. It is unusual and happens at least once a year. But some are lucky, they see a full parade, although this phenomenon is extremely rare. And someday, our descendants will be able to watch the full parade, and maybe they will be able to see it directly from space. We can only be content with small, large and mini parades, but even these phenomena are very beautiful and unique, they are worth seeing.
