A rare celestial event unfolded in the night sky on February 28, as seven planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—lined up in a spectacular formation. Astrophotographer Josh Dury captured this extraordinary moment in a stunning panoramic image taken from Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. This “great planetary parade” won’t occur again until 2040.
What makes Dury’s photograph even more exceptional is that it features 10 celestial bodies: the seven planets, as well as the moon, the sun, and Earth itself in the foreground. Photographing such an alignment was no easy feat. While some planets shone brightly, others—like Saturn and Neptune—were faint and difficult to capture.
“What made this photograph tricky was the inclusion of the sun, as well as Saturn and Neptune, which appear much fainter in the night sky given their distance from Earth,” Dury explained. To create the final image, Dury used an ultra-wide-angle lens to photograph different overlapping sections of the landscape over a 2.5-hour window.
Rare celestial event captured beautifully
He then stitched them together into a breathtaking panoramic view, using HDR blending to balance the extreme contrasts between the glowing sun and the dimmer planets. Most of the seven planets had been visible in the night sky for weeks, but Mercury was the last to join the lineup. Dury used Mercury’s position to gauge the alignment of the other celestial bodies and fine-tune his exposures to reveal the fainter planets.
“The relative positions of the sun, Mercury, the moon, and Venus will again be slightly out of alignment in the future,” Dury explained. “This is due to the natural setting point of the sun on the horizon and planets’ visibility amongst its glare.”
Capturing such an event required precise planning and ideal sky conditions. The clear night provided Dury with pristine visibility, allowing him to capture not just the planetary lineup but also zodiacal light—a soft, white glow stretching from the sun—along with two stunning deep-space objects: the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Triangulum Galaxy (M33).
Gradually disappearing from view, this celestial gathering was incredibly brief, making it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for photographers and stargazers. “Making this 10 celestial body alignment a short-lived and potential world first, dare I say it,” Dury said. “I am so delighted the skies remained clear, and to document this event from my homelands on the Mendips made it even more special.”
For space enthusiasts, this image is a stunning reminder of the intricate celestial dances occurring above us—a humbling testament to the wonders of the cosmos.
Image Credits: Photo by Aldebaran S on Unsplash
Rashan is a seasoned technology journalist and visionary leader serving as the Editor-in-Chief of DevX.com, a leading online publication focused on software development, programming languages, and emerging technologies. With his deep expertise in the tech industry and her passion for empowering developers, Rashan has transformed DevX.com into a vibrant hub of knowledge and innovation. Reach out to Rashan at [email protected]
