The planetary alignment of January 2025 caused quite a stir online, with many people wanting to know more about this apparently unique parade of planets in the night sky, and why it happens.
There were even some outlets purporting that the planets would be aligned in the sky for one night only, making 21 January 2025 the only time to see these Solar System worlds together in a single view.
In truth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune were visible for weeks before this date, and still visible into early February 2025.
Being able to see six planets in the sky at once is, of course, a wonderful thing, and it's easy for seasoned stargazers to take such events for granted.
But while the six planets were all visible in the sky at the same time, they weren't together in a straight line (as some had said they would be!)
Instead, the planets were positioned, as they more or less always are, along a line called the ecliptic, and this explains why the January 2025 alignment occurred (and why many more will occur in future).
Seasoned astrophotographer Osama Fathi captured an image of the planet alignment from the Fayoum desert in Egypt, and marked on his image the line of the ecliptic, to show exactly how the planets lined up.
The ecliptic is the apparent path that the Sun follows in the sky through the course of a day.
It's a result of the planets – Earth included – having formed from the same dusty disk that surrounded our young Sun.
In other words, the ecliptic is effectively the flat plane of the Solar System.
So from our perspective on Earth, the Sun and the planets all seem to follow this line (more or less).
Once you become aware of where the ecliptic lies from a familiar spot during the day (e.g. from your back garden or the bus stop you wait at after finishing work), it becomes easier to discern planets in the sky from stars, because any planets visible in the sky should be on or near this path.
So why do planetary alignments happen? Because of the way in which planets form out of dusty discs that surround newborn stars.
"Qatrani Mountain in Fayoum is a significant historical and ecological site," says Fathi,"known for its fossils from the Eocene and Oligocene eras, including ancient mammal species."
"Combined with the planetary parade photo, this setting becomes a breathtaking location for stargazing and astronomical events, where the unique desert landscape complements the celestial beauty of aligned planets like Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and, unseen with the naked eye, Uranus and Neptune."
"Such a backdrop enhances both the scientific and aesthetic appeal of this region."
See more of Osama Fathi's work via his Instagram handle @osama.fathi.nsw.
If you have any planetary images you'd like to share with us, email them to contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com and they could end up in a future issue.
