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The parade of planets is a spectacular astronomical event that can be observed with the naked eye. How it happens, and when you can see the parade of planets in Turkmenistan: read in this article.

A "parade of planets" (in astronomy, the term "Alignment of planets" is used) is an astronomical phenomenon when several planets line up in a row on one side of the Sun. This means that several planets are visible in the night sky at the same time. The smaller the sector of the sky in which the planets are located, the more spectacular the alignment.

However, it is wrong to think that the planets of the Solar System can line up strictly in line with the Sun. In reality, the planets cannot align in all three dimensions of space. Even the hit of all the planets in one quadrant (a sector of 90 degrees) is very rare: 7 times in this millennium.

Depending on the number of planets involved, there are different types of alignments: mini-alignment (3 planets), small alignment (4 planets), large alignment (5 or 6 planets), full alignment (8 planets, sometimes together with Pluto). When only two planets meet in the sky, it is not an alignment, but a convergence or conjunction of the planets.

When will the planets line up in 2023

Below is a list of alignments of planets visible from Earth for the coming months.

March 28 – minor alignment of Jupiter, Mercury, Venus and Mars in the 48-degree sector of the sky.

April 11 – minor alignment of Mercury, Uranus, Venus and Mars in the 33-degree sector of the sky.

April 24 – minor alignment of Mercury, Uranus, Venus and Mars in the 38-degree sector of the sky.

May 29 – minor alignment of Uranus, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn in the 70-degree sector of the sky.

June 17 – the great alignment of Mercury, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune and Saturn in the 93-degree sector of the sky.

July 26 – mini-alignment of Mercury, Venus and Mars in the 11-degree sector of the sky.

August 24 – mini-alignment of the setting Mercury and Mars and the rising Saturn in the 174-degree sector of the sky at sunset; later at night – a small alignment of Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune and Saturn in the 78-degree sector of the sky.

And here are a few spectacular parades of planets that will happen, unfortunately, not soon.

On September 8, 2040, five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) visible to the naked eye will be located in the 9-degree sector of the sky. The growing crescent moon will also be visible between Venus and Saturn.

On March 15, 2080, six planets (Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and Uranus) will be visible in the morning sky in the 82-degree sector. This alignment is notable for the fact that it includes the "great conjunction" of Saturn and Jupiter, which will be located at a distance of 6 arc minutes from each other.

On May 19, 2161, all the planets of the Solar System, including Earth, will line up on one side of the Sun in the 69-degree sector . If viewed from Earth, the rest of the planets will be located in the 171-degree sector of the sky. It will be possible to observe the alignment just before dawn.

On November 7, 2176, all the planets of the Solar System, including Earth, will line up on one side of the Sun in a 78-degree sector. When observed from Earth, the planets will be located in a 162-degree sector.

On May 6, 2492, all the planets of the Solar System, including Earth, will line up on one side of the Sun in a 90-degree sector. When observed from Earth, the planets will be located in a 162-degree sector.

How to prepare for observing the alignment of the planets?

If Mercury is involved in the alignment, it can be observed immediately after sunset or before dawn, depending on the date.

Most planets are visible to the naked eye. But to observe Uranus and Neptune, you will need binoculars.

The inner planets (Mercury, Venus) are best seen during the greatest elongations, and the outer planets (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) – during oppositions.

Use special applications (for example, Sky Tonight) to find all the planets in the sky and find out their visibility conditions.

Note that the claims that the alignment of the planets provokes natural disasters are not true. This myth has been debunked many times. Planetary alignments do not affect gravity and people's lives, but are simply spectacular astronomical phenomena.

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Photo: canva.com