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