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Credit & Copyright: Elke Schulz
(Daniel Verschatse Observatory)
Explanation:
On June 15, innermost planet Mercury had wandered
about as far from the Sun as it ever gets
in
planet Earth's sky.
Near the eastern horizon just before sunrise
it stands over distant Andes mountain peaks in
this predawn snapshot
from the valley of Rio Hurtado in Chile.
June's other morning planets are arrayed above it,
as all the naked-eye planets of the Solar System stretch in a line
along the ecliptic
in the single wide-field view.
Tilted toward the north, the Solar System's ecliptic plane arcs steeply
through southern hemisphere skies.
Northern hemisphere early morning risers will see the
lineup of planets
along the ecliptic at a shallower angle
tilting toward the south.
From both hemispheres
June's
beautiful morning
planetary display finds
the visible planets in order of their increasing
distance
from the Sun.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: planet - planetary alignment
Publications with words: planet - planetary alignment
See also: