STORY: :: A rare celestial phenomenon sees seven planets appear in a small area of sky over Chile
:: Luis Chavarria Garrido, Chilean Astronomer
“That the seven planets are in a small area of the sky and all visible is something that happens every 400 years. It’s very rare. That’s the beauty of this planetary alignment that doesn’t occur on just one day, but over several weeks.”
“The planets are positioned in what appears to be a straight line in the sky, but we must remember that the planets are not actually close to each other. They are in different positions in their orbits around the Sun, but from Earth, they appear in the same region of the sky.”
The planets appear in a straight line due to their orbital paths, though they are spread out in the solar system.
“The planets are positioned in what appears to be a straight line in the sky, but we must remember that the planets are not actually close to each other,” said Chavarria Gardo.
This phenomenon coincides with March being the month of astronomy in Chile and the anticipation of a total lunar eclipse.
Chile’s renowned dark skies, crucial for astronomical observations, face threats from increasing light pollution due to expanding industrial projects, particularly in the mineral-rich northern regions
Astronomers have expressed concerns that the encroaching urban development could undermine the pristine conditions essential for scientific studies, despite ongoing efforts to balance industrial growth with the preservation of these skies.
