And the planets, jointly taunting the doomsayers, have chosen to dance together before their eyes. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn clustered for the first time on April 6, within a circle 9 degrees wide. On April 14, they gathered again in a 5-degree circle. And last month's dance was just a prelude to this month's fiesta. On May 5, Mercury, Venus, the Moon and the Sun join in too, grouping in a circle of 26 degrees.
Illustration shows the planets as they align today.
The Moon will soon part company, but the planets will continue to cluster till May 17, when Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, plus the Sun, will be crammed within a 19 degrees 25 minutes circle. A crowded picture indeed. But even a doomsayer should know that such gatherings are not uncommon. All this with no dangerous consequences for the Earth, for the simple reason that nothing can happen. The Solar System is so wide and empty that the planets are like grains of sand scattered in space.