When you look at the night sky, it might seem static. The same stars appear to be in the same place as yesterday. However, it can be beneficial to occasionally consider how things really work.
In the universe, nothing is static. You are on a small planet that is orbiting a star at an incredible speed. In turn, the Solar System is orbiting the center of the galaxy, a cycle that takes 240 million years. The galaxies themselves also rotate around their center of mass, most likely around black holes. Amidst all this endless motion, sequences emerge from chaos. These sequences become periodically observable astronomical phenomena that we have learned to predict.
Leonids Storm – 2031
The Leonids are a meteor shower that Earth passes through annually from November 14th to 21st. During these days, dozens of small meteors burning up in the atmosphere can be observed in the sky. Unfortunately, city light pollution ruins the view, so most of us don’t notice anything. This meteor shower is associated with the Tempel-Tuttle comet, discovered back in 1865. It has a distinct periodicity, returning to the Sun every 33 years. With the comet, new fragments appear. During a storm, thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of meteors appear in the sky. To observers on Earth, it seems as though the meteors are coming from the constellation Leo. It is easy to find by its tail, which looks like a backward question mark. It takes about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t see the “meteor shower” right away. The remarkable aspect of the Leonids Storm of 2031 is that it will coincide with the new moon. This means there will be no natural light pollution in the sky.
Transit of Mercury – 2032
Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System and the closest to the Sun. It moves across the sky faster than the other planets, earning its name after the ancient Roman god of commerce, Mercury. Its proximity to the Sun not only makes life on the planet impossible but also complicates its study. It wasn’t until 2009 that a relatively complete map covering 97% of its surface was created. In comparison, Mars was mapped in the 19th century and only supplemented with new technology since then. One Mercurian year lasts 88 Earth days, during which only one and a half days pass on Mercury due to its slow rotation around its axis. For a long time, it was believed that the planet was always facing the Sun with one side. From Earth, it is nearly impossible to observe the other hemisphere. Sometimes, Mercury passes between Earth and the Sun, an event known as a transit. Through special telescopes, one can see the tiny planet moving against the backdrop of the star. The next transit of Mercury will occur in 2032.
Planetary Parade – 2040
In astronomy, such events are known as planetary alignments. These occurrences are not particularly rare; many of us have come across similar news and announcements multiple times. However, these often involve only two or three planets seemingly aligning in a line. This appearance is due to the varying speeds of planets in their orbits and their different distances from the Sun. In reality, no actual line forms; this becomes evident when viewing any planetary parade from another angle. The celestial bodies are scattered in space, but from Earth, they appear ordered. Periodic alignments have intrigued people throughout history, playing a significant role in the cultures of many civilizations. Ancient planetary parades were tied to prophecies, omens, and mythology. They also helped create the first calendars and prompted people to pay closer attention to the night sky. In 2040, five planets will “align” in a line: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn — 2040
This event occurs every 20 years but appears slightly different each time. The essence of the phenomenon lies in the apparent close approach of the two largest and therefore brightest planets. They are easily distinguishable from the thousands of stars around them. Firstly, unlike stars, planets do not undergo thermonuclear reactions, so they do not twinkle but only reflect light. Secondly, due to their proximity to Earth, Jupiter and Saturn appear much brighter than any stars. In other words, look for a stable and bright light source in the sky, and it is likely to be one of these planets, although Venus can also be similarly bright.
In 2040, an unusual spectacle is expected. Jupiter and Saturn will “approach” so closely that an observer will be able to cover both planets with a single finger at arm’s length. Such a “great conjunction” occurs significantly less frequently. According to calculations, the last time this happened was on July 16, 1623, but the planets were hidden behind the Sun’s disk. The earliest documented observations of these conjunctions date back to the third millennium BCE. It is possible that the movements of Jupiter and Saturn inspired the creation of the 60-year cycle in the Chinese calendar system.
Return of Halley’s Comet — 2061
Perhaps the most famous of comets, Halley’s Comet can be observed with the naked eye, as evidenced by numerous historical records from ancient China, Babylon, Assyria, and other now-defunct states. Yet, the comet still returns to our sky every 75 years. On December 8, 2023, Halley’s Comet reached its aphelion, the point in its orbit farthest from the Sun. After covering a distance of 5.26 billion kilometers, it is now on its way back. Without a doubt, as the comet approaches, many media outlets will start predicting the end of the world. This always happens because, hypothetically, such a scenario is possible. The celestial body will pass through the orbits of several planets, and who knows how favorable the transit will be this time. Jupiter or Saturn could either take the impact or alter the comet’s trajectory. The closest approach to Earth is expected on July 28, 2061. If you miss it, there likely won’t be a second chance.
