Planetary alignment: this extremely rare photo shows 6 planets in alignment

A rare astronomical event has been captured in a single image: a "planetary parade" where six planets from our solar system appeared aligned in the sky.

The image reveals the alignment of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Mars and Saturn are clearly visible near a crescent Moon, while the positions of the other planets, too distant to be seen with the naked eye, were revealed through two long exposures.


Astrophotographer Josh Dury captured this planetary parade on June 1st in the early morning hours from the Mendip Hills, a range of limestone hills in Somerset, UK. According to him, the experience of seeing each planet rise and be present in his images was fantastic and offered a unique perspective on our place in the solar system and the universe.

Planetary conjunctions, where two or more planets appear close together in the sky, are not uncommon but become rarer with an increasing number of planets involved. The three closest planets to the Sun—Mercury, Venus, and Earth—align every 39.6 years within an angle of 3.6 degrees. For all eight planets in the solar system to align so closely, it would take 396 billion years, an event which has never occurred and will not happen before the death of the Sun.

Planetary conjunction

A planetary conjunction is a mere optical illusion due to our perspective from our position in the solar system. In reality, the planets remain millions of miles apart from each other. These events can involve various celestial bodies, including planets, the Moon, and even stars.

Conjunctions are not rare, but the frequency decreases with the number of planets involved. Conjunctions offer a unique opportunity to observe multiple planets at once and better understand the movements and relative positions of objects in our solar system.

During these events, the planets involved may appear aligned in a straight line or in a tight formation, creating a spectacular view for both amateur and professional astronomers. Observing a conjunction often requires clear sky conditions and prior knowledge of the positions of the planets.