Capitol News

Step outside next week after sunset to witness a rare celestial event known as a "planetary parade." Seven planets will be visible from February 23 to 28. While Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are commonly seen, the appearance of Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Neptune together is unusual.

Experts from Michigan State University (MSU) are available to provide insights into this phenomenon. Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium at MSU, explains that all planets orbit the sun in a flat disk. From Earth’s perspective, this disk appears as a curved line across the sky from east to west. She notes that during this period, all planets will be above the horizon shortly after sunset. However, spotting them may require clear views and possibly binoculars due to some being close to the sun or not visible to the naked eye.

Seth Jacobson, an assistant professor in MSU's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, describes this alignment as a "planetary parade." He points out that while planets usually spread around their orbital path due to their separate motions, they appear together in one part of it this February.

Joey Rodriguez from MSU's physics and astronomy department emphasizes that such astronomical events encourage deeper contemplation about the universe and enhance understanding of scientific concepts.

Darryl Seligman, a postdoctoral fellow soon joining MSU's faculty and involved with NASA’s Small Bodies Assessment Group and Rubin Observatory Users Committee, highlights how planetary orbits' low inclinations cause them to follow the same line in our sky—a feature unique compared to other solar systems.