Rare planetary alignment graces Chilean skies

Record ID: 1983024

  • Title: Rare planetary alignment graces Chilean skies
  • Date: 10th March 2025
  • Summary: ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES (MARCH 7, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHILEAN ASTRONOMER, LUIS CHAVARRIA GARRIDO, SAYING: “The planets are positioned in what appears to be a straight line in the sky, but we must remember that the planets are not actually close to each other. They are in different positions in their orbits around the Sun, but from Earth,
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Astronomy Chile Planets Telescope
  • Location: PARANAL, ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE AND ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES
  • City: PARANAL, ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE AND ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: Chile
  • Topics: South America / Central America,Science,Space Exploration
  • Reuters ID: LVA004758810032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A rare celestial alignment was captured at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, where seven planets were visible in a small area of the sky.
    According to Chilean astronomer Luis Chavarria Garrido, this event occurs once every 400 years. The planets appear in a straight line due to their orbital paths, though they are spread out in the solar system.
    "The planets are positioned in what appears to be a straight line in the sky, but we must remember that the planets are not actually close to each other," said Chavarria Gardo.
    This phenomenon coincides with Chile's month of astronomy in March and the anticipation of a total lunar eclipse on March 14.. Chavarria emphasised the need to protect Chile's skies.
    Chile's renowned dark skies, crucial for astronomical observations, face threats from increasing light pollution due to expanding industrial projects, particularly in the mineral-rich northern regions.
    Astronomers express concerns that the encroaching urban development could undermine the pristine conditions essential for scientific studies, despite ongoing efforts to balance industrial growth with the preservation of these skies.
    (Production: Nicolas Cortes, Rodrigo Gutierrez. Hugo Monnet)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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