Un alignement des planètes?
Abstract
Planetary alignments during the next few years are examined in light of the prediction of Gribbin and Plagemann (1974) of a superconjunction, in which each planet is in conjunction with every other planet, in 1982. The heliocentric longitudes of the four gas giant planets from 1980 to 1985 are presented, and it is shown that these planets will be closest together in March, 1984, in a sector of 48 deg. During the time when the four giant planets will be within 60 deg of each other, the narrowest sector spanned by the nine planets is found to be 95 deg, hardly a planetary alignment or even a remarkable grouping in the sky as seen from earth. It is also pointed out that the elevation in solar activity predicted by Gribben and Plagemann at the time of such a superconjunction is also not in accordance with current knowledge of the magnitudes and effects of solar tides.
- Publication:
-
L'Astronomie
- Pub Date:
- January 1981
- Bibcode:
- 1981LAstr..95...15M
- Keywords:
-
- Alignment;
- Occultation;
- Planets;
- Solar Orbits;
- Orbital Position Estimation;
- Solar Activity;
- Astronomy;
- Ephemerides;
- Almanacs;
- Calendars;
- Chronology