Come February 25, the western skies just after dusk will make you feel either of two things: “Wow, what a sight!” or “Oh my God! We are nearing the end of the world!”
Come February 25, the western skies just after dusk will make you feel either of two things: “Wow, what a sight!” or “Oh my God! We are nearing the end of the world!”
On that night, and two nights after that, you will see Venus and Jupiter near each other even as the Moon will almost dance its way around and between them. Mars, too, will be at its closest approach to Earth on March 5. This will allow telescope-equipped sky-gazers to look at the Martian north-pole.
“You can already see Venus and Jupiter near each other in the night sky, but now people will be able to see them in the same field of view, hence making it a good opportunity for photography,” says BS Shylaja, director, Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium.
However, she is quick to point out that this phenomenon is not a rare occurrence. “You can see this in the night sky at least once a year.”
“On February 25, the Moon will be right below Venus; on February 26, it will actually be right in between Venus and Jupiter; and on February 27, it will go beyond Jupiter,” she explains.
This phenomenon is something that members of Association of Bangalore Amateur Astronomers (ABAA), are looking forward to.
“We will be meeting on Sunday at the planetarium to gaze at the night sky. It is bound to be a beautiful sight,” says Jayanth Basavarajaiah, ABAA president. “The Moon will move slightly away as the days go by, but Venus and Jupiter will stay close for at least another month.”
However, scientists feel that other than the spectacular view of the celestial objects, that would be any photographer’s delight, there is nothing to worry about, despite fears of planetary alignments—or the much feared end of the Mayan calendar—spelling doom for life on Earth.
According to Prof Siraj Hasan, director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, this phenomenon is called conjunction. “Planets of our solar system are nearly aligned in the same plane in the sky, though they are at completely different distances from Earth.
However, sometimes they will appear in the same region of the night sky as they orbit the sun, giving the impression that the planets are aligned,” he says.
“This is a routine celestial event and has no physical implication, nor will it have any discernible effects on Earth,” he adds.
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