And an even rarer encounter with the stars

Whether you are an astronomer, a casual stargazer or an astrologer, the alignment of the other seven planets of our solar system on the same side of the sun on February 28th will provide a magnificent celestial spectacle.

Planetary constellations, or planetary parades themselves, are not rare. Sometimes two, three or five planets are involved, as was seen on January 25 this year. Six of these are now in place for the grand finale - Saturn, Venus, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars - and will be joined by Mercury at the end of the month to complete the rare constellation. The next time this will happen will be in 2040.

But for George Danos, President of the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO), even more extraordinary than this cosmic spectacle is the shape this special parade of planets will take due to their positions in relation to the Sun, Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, and Orion.

"It is art in the sky, as if a painter had cast a celestial symphony into the sky - but it is pure mathematics."

In fact, according to Danos, this particular spectacle is so rare that it could be “tens of thousands, if not millions of years” before a similar form occurs again.

By shape, Danos means the position of the planets in conjunction with Orion and Sirius, which form a “kite,” a visually impressive formation in the sky.

How the planets appear on February 28th

"Orion and Sirius are in a constellation that will remain unchanged for the next thousand years, but together with Jupiter and Mars they form a shape reminiscent of a dragon. That's what makes it special," he emphasizes.

"You don't actually need a telescope or binoculars to observe this spectacle," explains Danos. However, the expert says that you can see even more details with binoculars or a telescope.

As for the February 28 planetary parade itself, five planets are visible without optical aid: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Bluish Neptune definitely requires a telescope to observe. While greenish Uranus is technically bright enough to see with good eyesight, a telescope is highly recommended.

Ideally, says Danos, one would go somewhere outside the city where the skies are clear but the alignment is also visible from Nicosia.

For those who can't see the celestial phenomenon that day, Danos has encouraging news: "Part of the constellation will actually be visible every night until the end of the month. What's special is that on the 28th, the planets will be exactly in line, with Mercury complementing them."

He emphasizes the poetic aspect of the phenomenon and says that saying that the alignment is special just sounds too sterile. "It is the shape, not the alignment, that is so magical," explains Danos, "the shape in combination with the constellation."

Since the parade is merely a visual observation, it will have no real impact on Earth, he said.

"It may look like the planets are in a row, but in reality they are not."

He said the visual magic will be over after February. Increasing daylight will make it harder to see the planets, and the movement of Mars and Jupiter will finally dissolve the kite shape. "The sky has created a masterpiece for us," Danos said.

The formation will be visible to stargazers about 45 minutes after sunset on February 28. Venus will be visible for one to two hours, while the other planets will remain visible throughout the night.

Astrologers are equally excited about the upcoming parade. Roy Gillett, president of the Astrological Association in Great Britain, explains: "Each planetary cycle indicates the changing zodiacal qualities of ideas, actions, love, transformation and change, power and success."

"A key indicator in the parade is that Saturn and Neptune will meet in the first degree of Aries of the new zodiac cycle on February 20 next year - the first time since 555 AD. Neptune describes cultural values and religious beliefs, Saturn structure and control. Aries jumps in impulsively, so expect times of breaking out, liking new ways of doing things and experimentation," he said.

Since ancient times, humanity has always looked to the sky for signs and omens. Temples, pyramids and monoliths in cultures around the world bear witness to this. They were almost always built to harness the sun's rays during the summer and winter solstices, and some are even aligned with specific positions of the planets.

"Like the ancients, many astrologers today see this parade of ancient and modern planets in the sky as a harbinger of great coming changes in the world. Next year's conjunction will not be visible to the naked eye, but its signs will become increasingly noticeable in our lives," Gillett said.

Whatever you believe, the night of February 28 promises to be a visual treat. Let's just hope for clear skies.














Source: CyprusMail.com
Author: Johanna Pauls