2006-08-30 15:21:48 · 5 answers · asked by ryle 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It's impossible for all the planets to form a straight line out from the Sun (or viewed superimposed on each other in the sky) because each planetary orbit is tilted slightly (and sometimes not slight at all in the case of Pluto) with respect to the Earth's orbit (whose plane we trace out on the night sky as a line completely around the sky and is called the ecliptic). These zealots confuse the term planetary alignment with the more accurate words that should be used, planetary configuration or a loose grouping of the planets in the sky. An event that occurred in 1983 was the planets (all eight of them [then Pluto] -- we are on the ninth, Earth) would be within 96° of each other in the sky -- not in a straight line as most people would misinterpret with the term alignment. To have all of the planets on the same side of the Sun and virtually all within the same quadrant (i.e., 90°) happens approximately once every 200 years -- rare as far as humans are concerned, but not rare as far as the solar system is concerned.
The last series of planetary configurations or perhaps more accurately called multiple planetary conjunctions occurred in the year 2000. There is one chance in 340 million years that the planet's will all be at the same right ascension (RA) (i.e., conjunction - probability would be for all the superior planet's to be at the same RA in the sky (with Mercury and Venus 12 hours on the other side of the sky) within a minute of each!
Probability (ALL planets at same RA with respect to Sun at same time) =
9.3 x 1019 minutes = 1.8 x 1014 years
A whooping once in 180 trillion years!
2006-08-30 16:09:14 · answer #1 · answered by JFAD 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is that all 8 planets or 9 planets?
2006-08-30 15:23:20 · answer #2 · answered by rscanner 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The next conjunction will be the moon and mars. They will be within 1/2 degree on Dec 23, 2007 early evening.
2006-08-30 15:27:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing. About 1981 all the planets were as close to lining up as they'll ever be in our lifetimes. Nothing happened then.
Its all nonsense! Relax.
2006-08-30 15:26:04 · answer #4 · answered by John K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you mean in the same quadrant, a long long time. If you mean actually in a straight line? Never
2006-08-30 15:52:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋