Title: Debunking the January 25 Alleged once-in-396-billion-years Planetary Alignment
Gear up, stargazers! You've likely heard buzz surrounding a "once in 396 billion years" planetary alignment happening on Jan. 25. Hold your horses, 'cause social media isn't always your reliable source of cosmic truths. Let's debunk this celestial myth while admiring the real deal happening this month and February.
Four planets can be spotted with just your peepers, with five gracing us when we move deeper into February. No need to don your spacesuit or gain warp speed to witness this grand solar spectacle. But is it the greatest stargazing and astronomy event of 2025? As enticing as that idea sounds, it's far from the truth.
So what's all the fuss about? The term "planet parade" is thrown around whenever there are more than a couple of planets shining brightly in the night sky. Confusing hype involving planets like Uranus and Neptune has led to this buzz. However, in 2025, the excitement stems from Jupiter, Venus, and Mars reaching their brightest post-sunset. Saturn and the occasional peek at Mercury round out our cosmic crew of four or five planets.
Now, let's clarify why this is neither an "alignment" nor "once in 396 billion years." To get in our heads, think about an omelet. Planets orbit the sun in a neat cluster, akin to the yolks and whites in an omelet. We're the eggshell—Earth, blue and fragile—orbiting this solar omelet. As the planets travel their orbits around the sun, they can often appear close in the night sky, creating our so-called "planet parade."
However, the closer the planets appear in the night sky, the rarer it becomes. Some planets can be obscured by the sun's glare, which is why we often don't see multiple planets at once. The misleading "once in 396 billion years" claim originates from a misunderstanding of Jean Meeus's theoretical point. He calculated that it would take that long for all eight planets to appear within 1.8 degrees of each other—a mere 44 minutes angle between our planetary neighbors. But as you can see, our current "planet parade" doesn't come even close to meeting those strict criteria.
To witness this cosmic extravaganza, turn your gaze westward just after sunset from January 15 to January 25, and take in Venus and Saturn. Jupiter and Mars will greet you in the east, giving you East Coast stargazers a brilliant trio to marvel at. January 21, when the moon reaches its Last Quarter phase, promises clear skies and wide eyes as it rises around midnight.
By mid-March, Mercury joins the party, briefly making an appearance from March 1 to March 7. On March 8, catch Mercury nestled between Saturn and Venus, accompanied by a crescent moon. So, while the "once in 396 billion years" statement might mislead you, you don't have to sacrifice clear skies and wide eyes to enjoy this planetary parade.
In January 2025, stargazers can observe Venus and Saturn in the western sky just after sunset. Jupiter and Mars will be visible in the east, offering an impressive trio for East Coast viewers. January 21, 2025, will provide clear skies and the opportunity to witness the Last Quarter moon rising around midnight. Moving forward to March 2025, Mercury joins the cosmic event, making a brief appearance from March 1 to March 7, and can be seen nestled between Saturn and Venus on March 8, accompanied by a crescent moon. Despite the misleading "once in 396 billion years" statement, this planetary parade is a spectacle not to be missed, with four or five planets visible with the naked eye.