Saguaro and Seven
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May 14, 2002Position mouse cursor over image to see labeled photo. Move mouse cursor off image to see unlabeled photo. Not only did the planetary alignment of spring 2002 provide a rare opportunity to see the five bright planets in the same part of the sky, but for a few days in mid-April and mid-May, the moon also joined the scene. Counting the crescent moon (overexposed in this scan), the 5 planets in the sky (Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Mercury), and Earth in the foreground, a total of 7 planetary bodies are seen in this single photo! This arrangement was a special challenge both visually and photographically, since at the time Mercury was faint and close to the horizon. For this photo I traveled to the clear, dark skies of the Arizona desert, 30 miles north of Phoenix. A saguaro cactus completes the composition. |