It's finally here! The End of The World will happen on October 18 2018 at 7:57pm...

mental4astro (Alexander) · #1 31-05-2018, 07:46 AM

An amazing apparition will happen on the 18th of October this year at 7:57pm.

All 8 planets, PLUS the Moon and Pluto, will all be visible simultaneously for just a few minutes!

I've seen this occur before but only across the course of a whole evening, and visible for a few weeks. But never everything all at the one time.

A planetary "alignment" of biblical proportions?

I dunno about that. But very freaking rare and awesome!

Cripes, mention this alignment on Facebook and watch the place tear itself apart! Let's keep this in-house, shall we...

MortonH · #2 31-05-2018, 07:53 AM

Thanks for the heads up, Alex!

Guess there's no point putting anything on layby for Christmas.

Wavytone · #3 31-05-2018, 07:59 AM

Mmm .... you’ll need an allsky camera for this, or at least an ultra wide and stitch a few shots. Uranus will be hard on the east horizon though. Also a site with phenomenal east west horizons.

While 17 October is good the configuration persists for a few evenings so there’s hope if the weather flaps up... Uranus rises higher in the east each evening, but Venus heading for the sun fast.

Atmos (Colin) · #4 31-05-2018, 08:06 AM

I could photograph the whole lot pretty quickly but I need to get it with Uranus at its highest as my dark site has much better views of the West and east (tree line).

MortonH · #5 31-05-2018, 08:13 AM

If the world has ended who are you going to show your images to?

mental4astro (Alexander) · #6 31-05-2018, 08:54 AM

This is the Holy Grail of all planetary "alignments"!

WOOHOO!

Saturnine (Jeff) · #7 31-05-2018, 09:38 AM

Hi Alex
Thanks for the tip off, should be more fun than an Messier Marathon. Considering the angular size, magnitude and proximity to the horizons of some of the planets this could be a bit tricky to observe and / or image. The gravity shift from the alignment could make the mounting a bit unsteady too and if the world is going to end then I'd better get the next scope finished so I can watch.

AstralTraveller (David) · #8 31-05-2018, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mental4astro

Cripes, mention this alignment on Facebook and watch the place tear itself apart! Let's keep this in-house, shall we...

The gravitational, tidal forces will rip the Earth apart. We'll all be flung out of the galaxy. I'm booking my LSL today.

Nikolas (Nik) · #9 31-05-2018, 10:22 AM

And knowing Melbourne's fickle weather it will be clouded over and raining cats and dogs

Kal (Andrew) · #10 31-05-2018, 10:31 AM

relax guys, the world will not end!

there will just be a big M8.0+ earthquake somewhere around that date

JA · #11 31-05-2018, 11:55 AM

If one wanted to string together a disaster scenario then there's no need to look very far, Hawaii, not that it isn't always active to some extent, has been bursting at the seams lately - for the last few weeks or so.....

If Kilauea et al blow (really blow) then Mt St Helens will look like a picnic

Best
JA

mental4astro (Alexander) · #12 31-05-2018, 12:10 PM

You can dial up the date on Sky Safari. That's how I came across this event while looking up possible dates for outreach/sidewalk astronomy nights with the planets and Moon on view. Great tool Sky Safari. What I'm not sure about is if this event is visible everywhere around the world - of course take your own local sunset time into account. The time I've posted is for Sydney.

Might look into organizing a special outreach/sidewalk astronomy event for this occasion. There's a few parks in Sydney's east that could do that have gorgeous east-west views. Anyone like to join me?

Mind you, I've had the Spooks called on me at one of these parks once before... They'll totally flip with this one!

FlashDrive (Poppy) · #13 31-05-2018, 12:11 PM

Col...

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #14 31-05-2018, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikolas

And knowing Melbourne's fickle weather it will be clouded over and raining cats and dogs

This begs the question, if you can't see it, does it really happen?

Melbourne could be saved from all the destruction because of their bad weather

AstralTraveller (David) · #15 01-06-2018, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

This begs the question, if you can't see it, does it really happen?

Melbourne could be saved from all the destruction because of their bad weather

Schrödinger's Apocalypse?

LewisM · #16 01-06-2018, 11:51 AM

Age of Aquarius baby... bring on the next....(((PEACE MAN...OK...COOOOOOL)))

multiweb (Marc) · #17 01-06-2018, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

This begs the question, if you can't see it, does it really happen?

Melbourne could be saved from all the destruction because of their bad weather

The combined planets gravity will suck up all the clouds and the skies will be clear.

mental4astro (Alexander) · #18 01-06-2018, 12:32 PM

Jeff,

I like your thinking. Here's a take on the Messier Marathon - the Planetary Sprint!

Or maybe a better name could be the Solar System Sprint.

Bagging all 8 planets along with the Moon, Pluto and a bunch of planet satellites, and why not the Sun too. Really every single major body in the Solar System, all captured within a couple of hours. Visual or photo, or why not sketched too.

Have Also Sprach Zarathustra and other space themed pieces running on a loop in the background too while undertaking the sprint...

speach (Simon) · #19 01-06-2018, 01:06 PM

Bugger, and just when I've got polar alignment worked out

Sconesbie (Scott) · #20 01-06-2018, 02:01 PM

I better update my life insurance.

My daughter will be disappointed as it's the day before her birthday.