"Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center" Director Levon Azizyan writes:
A planetary parade is the colloquial name for an astronomical event that is actually called a “planetary alignment.” This is a phenomenon in which several planets line up close together on the same side of the Sun.
Depending on how many planets are lined up, a distinction is made
mini planetary alignment (3 planets);
minor alignment (4 planets);
great alignment (5-6 planets);
complete parade of planets (7 planets, sometimes plus Pluto).
When will the big and full parades of the planets take place in 2025?
January 21 - in the evening, after sunset, 6 planets will be visible: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The order of appearance in the sky from west to east will be: Saturn, Venus, Jupiter and Mars. You will need binoculars or a telescope to view Uranus and Neptune. The other planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) can be easily seen with the naked eye.
After sunset on February 28, 7 planets will be visible: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The order of appearance in the sky from west to east will be: Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars.
August 11 - in the morning, 6 planets will be visible at the same time: Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
It is interesting that both parades are large and complete.Such phenomena, according to astronomers, usually occur no more than once every 20 years.
A complete parade of planets is observed extremely rarely, approximately every 170-180 years.
The "Parade of the Planets" is a purely visual event that has no negative impact on Earth's nature or living things. Such events increase interest in astronomy and make the night sky even more beautiful.
