This month of January 2025 has everything to delight astronomy enthusiasts. In Burgundy and everywhere else, several planets are visible to the naked eye, as soon as night falls.
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We had to look up at the start of the year, because it's not every day that we have the chance to be able to observe several planets with the naked eye, as soon as night falls. It started on January 12, when the planet Mars was closest to Earth.
She is then in opposition. “It's when a planet is as far away as possible from the sun and it finds itself opposite the Earth. It rises at the same time as the sun sets, we see it all night. That's where we see it best, these are the best conditions for observing”explain Eric Chariot, director of development of the Société astronomique de Bourgogne.
The planet Mars.
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© NASA
Concerning Mars, the opposition occurs every time it and Earth are opposite each other, every 18 months. The last time it was this close to our planet was in 2003. “Mars does not have a round trajectory, but an oval. During each revolution, it is not necessarily as close as the time before.”
These are magnificent celestial events.
StarwalkAstronomy educational app
This month of January ticks all the boxes for observing Mars in ideal conditions when the sun sets. “The planet is so bright that you don't even need to go far from the city”assure Eric Chariot.
Rest assured, if you forgot to look up on January 12, it is still possible to admire Mars at nightfall. “There is this date when Mars is closest to the earth, but we see it very clearly one month before and one month after. It's an event on paper, but upon observation it doesn't change much- It's still nice to look at, you can see it very well in the sky.”
And she's not the only one. In addition to Mars, you can also see Jupiter, Venus and Saturn with the naked eye. You can even observe Uranus and Neptune with a telescope. On January 21, these six planets will be aligned.
The planets of the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars are the closest to the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are the furthest away.
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© Pixabay
But if you have to mark a date on your calendar, it's February 28. Seven planets will be aligned, with Mercury added to the list. Like Mars, Jupiter and Venus, it will be visible to the naked eye. But this time, the timing will be tighter. Mercury will only be visible for a handful of minutes. From 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., you will have the opportunity to see five planets without equipment. “It's pretty to the naked eye. They are very bright. With a telescope, we can see black areas on Mars. In broad terms, it represents the ancient continents.”
Saturn and its rings
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© NASA, ESA AND THE HUBBLE HERITAGE TEAM / MAXPPP
If you don't have any equipment,The Astronomical Society of Burgundy opens its observatory, located in the Parc de la Combe à la Serpent near Dijon, once a month to the public free of charge. It can accommodate 200 to 300 people. You will have access to its telescopes, but also to that of members of the company who bring their own equipment. Next date, February 8, but don't worry, several planets will still be visible.
For more details, you can go to the website of the Burgundy Astronomical Society.
