American space agency NASA recently shared a picture that captures a rare phenomenon: all the planets of our solar system witnessed from Earth simultaneously. The phenomenon known as the 'Planet Parade' allows people to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Planet parade is an astronomical phenomenon during which several planets may be observed in the sky by the naked eye.
The sight was shared by NASA as the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) yesterday. In the 'After Sunset Planet Parade' image posted on January 2, a wide range of planets such as Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Saturn, and Mercury can be seen sparkling against a purple sky in the late evening.
Featuring Mars, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, Mercury, and Venus in one frame, the photo quickly went viral as internet users marvelled at the dazzling dusk time scene. Taken by astronomer and photographer Tunc Tezel in December 2022, the image also featured bright stars like Altair, Fomalhaut, and Aldebaran.
Posting a new astronomy-related image each day, NASA's APOD tradition stretches back decades. Every day there is a new image along with a short explanation written by a professional astronomer, providing a perfect mix of informational and entertaining content.
APOD's first photo of 2023 featured "the largest rock in our solar system" famously called the 'pale blue dot' through a photo taken by NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1990.
Today's photo, by photographer Tommy Lease, shows the awe-inspiring Kemble's Cascade of Stars, which is an asterism (a group of stars different from a constellation). APOD's tagline, "discover the cosmos", promises that each day is a new foray into the vast, intricate universe in which we live.
