A rare, seven-planet alignment was visible in the night sky last week, giving Indiana stargazers the opportunity to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune run along the ecliptic line. The event lasted through Friday, Feb. 28, and it will not happen again until around 2040.
IU Astronomy Club President Izzy Flores said clear skies and minimal visual obstruction were essential to see the alignment. Most of the planets could be seen with the naked eye.
“You don’t need a telescope to see cool stuff,” Flores said. “Some of the brightest things we see are planets.”
The best time to view the alignment was 90 minutes after sunset, before Mercury and Saturn set below the horizon line. Binoculars and a telescope were necessary to see Uranus and Neptune because of how far away they are from the Earth.
In an interview with Ivy Tech Astronomy Professor Kurt Messick, he talks about the deeper meaning behind the seven planet alignment, the importance of having an education and more.
Ivy Tech Astronomy Professor Kurt Messick said that Venus, the brightest planet in the sky, is often misidentified.
“I had one friend who said, ‘Oh! The International Space Station is up there all the time,’” Messick said. “That’s not the International Space Station, that’s Venus.”
Messick has multiple doctorates and master’s degrees in subjects ranging from astronomy to political science to sports administration. He even has a divinity degree and serves as a chaplain. Messick said his broad academic background allows him to better understand astronomy.
“The universe is all interrelated in that way, and you never know what kinds of connections you’re going to make until you get there and you begin to study them,” Messick said. “Some people collect baseball cards, I collect master’s degrees.”
The last day to see the alignment was Friday. Now, Saturn has disappeared from view, leaving six planets visible in the sky. The next chance to see a similar planetary alignment won’t be for another 15 years.
Jupiter in Color, by Cassini
