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Seven planets to be visible in night sky for last time until 2040
bbc ^ | 02/25/2025 | Maddie Molloy

Posted on 02/25/2025 12:42:14 PM PST by BenLurkin

The best chance to see as many planets as possible will be just after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Four of the planets - Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars - will be visible to the naked eye. Saturn will be harder to see because it will be low in the horizon. You will need a telescope to spot the other two planets - Uranus and Neptune.

A good view of the horizon and clear skies will offer the best chance of spotting them all. However, the window to see all seven planets will be very brief.

Dr Edward Bloomer, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich said: "There's a rare opportunity to have seven planets in essentially a convenient place for you to look for them."

As the sun sets, Saturn and Mercury will also be setting, making them particularly difficult to see.

"You really only have a few minutes after sunset to catch them before they drop below the horizon. After that, you'll still be able to see Venus, Jupiter, and Mars clearly for a much longer time," Dr Bloomer added.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: astronomy; flamingglobes; grandalignment; jupiter; mars; mercury; neptune; planets; planetsvisible; saturn; science; sigmund; uranus; venus
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To: Red Badger

The CIA and other Intelligence folks have Uranus covered.


21 posted on 02/25/2025 2:18:08 PM PST by FlyingEagle
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To: Valpal1
A Grand Syzygy?

Back in the day, that require Pluto, n'est ce pas?

22 posted on 02/25/2025 2:24:25 PM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never...in nothing, great or small...Winston ChurchIill)
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To: BenLurkin
Really? Not till 2040? I guess I'll just take their word for it.

23 posted on 02/25/2025 2:31:25 PM PST by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

Well who knows? Maybe it’ll be back next week.


24 posted on 02/25/2025 2:33:24 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement What shtthoof fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: Seaplaner

I think anything more than 4 is a Grand Syzygy


25 posted on 02/25/2025 2:40:53 PM PST by Valpal1 (Not even the police are safe from the police!!!)
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To: BenLurkin

It’s not worth going out to look without Uranus.


26 posted on 02/25/2025 4:01:54 PM PST by samkatz
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To: BenLurkin

“You will need a telescope to spot the other two planets - Uranus and Neptune. “

There is an app for smart phones called planets that is very good at locating and naming planets visible or not.


27 posted on 02/25/2025 4:07:44 PM PST by antidemoncrat ( )
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To: Valpal1
I think anything more than 4 is a Grand Syzygy

Ah, I think I got it, and excellent point.

Are we now, then, at a Venti Syzygy?

28 posted on 02/25/2025 4:24:31 PM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never...in nothing, great or small...Winston ChurchIill)
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To: Seaplaner

A grand syzygy only required Pluto beginning in 1930. Before 1846, Neptune wasn’t required. Before 1781, Herschel’s new planet which he named Georgium Sidus (I think it’s called something else now) wasn’t required. Just the naked-eye planets.


29 posted on 02/25/2025 4:54:27 PM PST by Verginius Rufus
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To: politicket
"One will need a telescope to see Uranus."

I wouldn't have it any other way.

30 posted on 02/25/2025 4:57:37 PM PST by Joe 6-pack
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To: Seaplaner

Lol


31 posted on 02/25/2025 5:27:02 PM PST by Valpal1 (Not even the police are safe from the police!!!)
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To: BenLurkin
Four of the planets - Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars - will be visible to the naked eye. Saturn will be harder to see because it will be low in the horizon. You will need a telescope to spot the other two planets - Uranus and Neptune.

The mean apparent magnitude of Uranus is 5.68 with a standard deviation of 0.17, while the extremes are 5.38 and 6.03.

A person with normal vision should thus be able to discern Uranus - provided that there is no light pollution and that, otherwise, seeing conditions are optimal.

Regards,

32 posted on 02/26/2025 3:09:40 AM PST by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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To: Red Badger

Only if you buy me dinner first.


33 posted on 02/28/2025 8:53:03 AM PST by EvilCapitalist (Pets are no substitute for children)
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