Amman, June 18 (Petra) — Skywatchers across Jordan are expected to
witness a rare astronomical spectacle on Thursday evening as the
Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury appear in a striking alignment above
the western horizon, the Jordanian Astronomical Society said.

According to Society President Ammar Al-Sakji, the celestial event
will be visible shortly after sunset, particularly after 8:15 p.m.,
when the crescent Moon will appear alongside the bright planet Venus,
with Jupiter positioned below and Mercury low on the horizon.

He said the alignment can be observed with the naked eye under clear
weather conditions.

Al-Sakji explained that the phenomenon, commonly known as a
“planetary parade,” occurs when several planets appear close together
along the ecliptic from Earth’s perspective, although they are not
physically aligned in space.

He noted that a mathematical analysis conducted on the positions of
the Moon and the planets at 8:15 p.m. revealed an exceptionally
precise geometric alignment.

The analysis found that the deviation from the ideal alignment line
was less than one degree, while the maximum deviation represented
only 4.1 percent of the total alignment length.

According to the study, the Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury achieved
an alignment index of approximately 97.2 percent, indicating that the
event represents more than a visual coincidence and reflects a highly
ordered geometric configuration.

Al-Sakji said the study employed the standard deviation from the
best-fit great circle as a direct indicator for measuring the quality
of the visible planetary alignment.

He added that the methodology demonstrates how modern astronomical
techniques can transform observable celestial phenomena into precise,
objective scientific measurements, offering a deeper understanding of
planetary movements and alignments.

//Petra// RZ