Planetary conjunction

In astronomy, a conjunction occurs when two celestial objects such as planets, asteroids, moons, or stars have the same right ascension or ecliptic longitude, as measured from Earth.?In this particular case, the five planets – Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Mars – were aligned in such a way that they appeared to form an arc in the sky, along with the moon. This alignment occurs because these planets were in the same general region of the sky, as seen from Earth, due to their respective orbits around the sun. It's worth noting that although the planets appeared close to one another in the sky, they were actually still quite far apart in space. This is because the distances between the planets are vast, and even during conjunction, they remain millions of miles apart from one another.

Conjunctions are not astronomically significant but are pleasant to observe. Planetary conjunctions happen often in our Solar System as the planets follow comparable paths along the ecliptic plane while orbiting the Sun. Multiple instances of five-planet alignment have occurred in recent years (2016, 2020, and 2022), but due to the dynamic nature of planetary movements, the specific combination of planets in alignment varies each time. The next time this specific alignment will occur will be in the year 2040. However, it's worth noting that other types of planetary conjunctions, involving different combinations of planets, occur with much greater frequency. For example, Jupiter and Saturn come into conjunction roughly every 20 years, and Venus and Mars come into conjunction roughly every two years.

Many factors influence the planetary conjunction which includes, the relative position of planets, apparent magnitude, frequency, and occultation.?During a conjunction, the planets may appear to be aligned in a straight line, or they may form a triangle, a square, or another geometric pattern. The apparent magnitude of the planets during conjunction can vary, depending on their distance from the Earth, their size, and their reflective properties. For example, Venus is one of the brightest objects in the night sky, and it can appear much brighter than other planets during conjunction. The frequency of planetary conjunctions depends on the orbital periods of the planets involved. During a conjunction, one planet may pass in front of another, partially or completely blocking it from view. This is known as occultation, and it can provide valuable information about the properties of the planets and their atmospheres.

In the skies of Dubai on 28th March 2023, observing Mercury and Jupiter can be challenging, while Venus has excellent visibility; Mars and Saturn have an average level of visibility, and Uranus is difficult to see. However, these planets can be observed without aid, and using binoculars can enhance their clarity, with the additional advantage that their proximity to the horizon ensures they are not obstructed by sunlight.

The positions of five planets along with the Moon in the skies of Dubai on 28th March 2023 will give great insight into this phenomenon. The Moon with a Right Ascension of 06h 00m 40.1s, a Declination of 27° 35' 06.9", a Magnitude of -9.74, and an Altitude of 35°; Mercury with a Right Ascension of 01h 06m 36.9s, a Declination of 7° 20' 27.9", a Magnitude of -1.41, and an Altitude of 69°; Jupiter with a Right Ascension of 01h 07m 49.9s, a Declination of 6° 02' 45.8", a Magnitude of -2.05, and an Altitude of 68°; Venus with a Right Ascension of 02h 42m 57.0s, a Declination of 16° 35' 21.6", a Magnitude of -4.00, and an Altitude of 76°; Uranus with a Right Ascension of 02h 55m 44.6s, a Declination of 16° 24' 13.5", a Magnitude of 5.86, and an Altitude of 73°; and Mars with a Right Ascension of 06h 04m 52.3s, a Declination of 25° 32' 15.7", a Magnitude of 0.86, and an Altitude of 34°.

In astronomy, Right ascension is the equivalent of longitude on the Earth’s surface projected onto the celestial sphere while Declination is the equivalent of latitude and Magnitude measure of the brightness of a star or other celestial body.