June’s much-publicized planetary alignment may not have been the stunning spectacle some envisioned with the naked eye, but it nonetheless provided some stunning astrophotography.
Josh Dorey of Somerset, England captured the planetary view on June 1, 2024 from the summit of Crookes Peak, a popular and historic rock outcrop in the Mendip Hills.
As Space.com night sky columnist Joe Rao points out, planetary alignments have been so exaggerated on social media that some planets will be so difficult to see at all, let alone with the naked eye. Fortunately, with the help of some clever photography, Dory was able to photograph Jupiter, Uranus, Mercury, Mars, Neptune, and Saturn lining up next to a crescent moon.
Related: The brightest planets in June’s night sky: How to see them (and when)
Read more: Night sky June 2024: What you can see tonight
Dury was able to produce this image by taking multiple exposures and combining them into a single image. Some of the planets in this planetary alignment were very close to the Sun in the early morning sky, which meant different types of camera settings were needed to capture each one.
“On Saturday morning, when I took this photo, I was amazed to see Saturn, the Moon, and Mars,” Dorey told Space.com via email. “I needed to take separate exposures in order to capture the fainter planets as well as Jupiter, Uranus and Mercury closest to the Sun’s glare, so this image is composited to capture that perspective.”
Although he has taken dozens of photographs of the night sky, Dorey says taking this photo was a great opportunity to consider humanity’s place in the universe.
“It’s absolutely amazing to take a moment to step back and appreciate the sheer scale and perspective of our place in the universe,” Dorey said.
Want to see the visible planets of the solar system for yourself? Be sure to check out our guide to the best telescopes for planetary viewing and our more general guides to the best binoculars and the best telescopes.
And if you’re interested in impressive sky photography, don’t miss our guide on the equipment you need to see and photograph the planets. We also have recommendations for the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s note: If you’ve got a great photo of any of the planets that you’d like to share with Space.com readers, send your photo(s), comments, name and location to [email protected].
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