By Allen Hamrick
Well, it has happened, and if you were one of those star gazers who got out and stretched their neck to the world above us, you saw a rare, hasn’t happened before and won’t again in our lifetime again occurrence. On January 25, 2025, the planets aligned in somewhat of a straight line across the night sky for the entire world to see. Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars are hanging there from the east to the west, as bright as can be, while Uranus and Neptune can be seen with a heavy duty pair of binoculars or a telescope and Mercury can only be seen just when the sun goes down in the west in a wide sky. The big deal is that the planets aren’t actually in a straight line but are in an arc on the same side of the sun. It is such a rare occurrence that, according to statistics, will only happen again in another 396 billion years, well after we have turned into dust. So, the opportunity is now if you care about anything beyond your one foot of free space. Basically, it will never happen again so take the opportunity to enjoy its significance.
If you let your mind wonder about the scientific possibilities, the alignment could mean the cosmos that surrounds us might possibly become enhanced due to all the planets’ energies combining. Now, of course, that is just earth science 101 and who paid attention in that class? The solar system is indeed a mysterious place where magnificent beauty and danger dwell, and for that reason, it has enticed people since the beginning of time to its dark mystery. It is in our blood to wonder, to ask questions that can’t seemingly be answered, and to ponder with excitement as to just what might be out there. Our souls search for the answer as nature summons us, and when we stop looking and asking questions, we tend to lose. Ever since we were babies, the wonder began trying to figure out if toes were edible. We became youth in science classes where teachers did their best to push us into new dimensions of why things work the way they do. Why can’t you see wind? How does the moon effect natural change? Math and science is instilled in us to help us try and understand the world so we don’t screw it up. Once we became adults, unfortunately, many of us fall by the way side and assume the daily grind. Before February 28th go out and get you some good glass – telescope, binoculars- and see the universe in action. The universe is a massive place with black holes, other galaxies and dimensions our minds can’t even compute, but on occasion it allows us to see its glory.
Thanks to Tracy Wayne, after school enrichment teacher as well as music teacher by day, our students will have a unique opportunity to experience the majesty of the night sky without leaving the ground. Mrs. Wayne will be bringing the inflatable planetarium provided through NASA to life several evenings at Clay Middle School to allow after school participants to see the various constellations, hear the ancient myths of how the universe’s artwork came to be and experience other activities centered around the stars and night sky. Check with your child’s school to see when they are scheduled to attend and tag along; it’s a great opportunity for after school education for the whole family. If you don’t have a child attending Clay County Schools and would like the experience, get in touch with Mrs. Wayne at Clay Middle School to ask about a night you could attend and see for yourself what the planetarium is all about.