ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national space agency said this week that people will be able to see the “Parade of the Planets,” a celestial spectacle in which four or more planets will line up in the sky, from the naked eye beginning from the last week of January till mid-February.
A planetary parade, or planetary alignment, is a rare celestial event where multiple planets in our solar system align in a straight line or appear close together in the sky. This occurs when the orbits of the planets bring them together in a specific configuration.
“The lining up of four or more planets in the sky is usually called Parade of the Planets,” Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said on Tuesday. “Out of all these planets, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye.”
It said that since the moon will be a waning crescent on Jan. 25, from a moderately pollution free sky, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will appear within a similar celestial line.
The space agency said familiarity with constellations would make it easier for people to identify planets. It said many free stargazing applications were available to identify celestial objects in the sky.
“To find out the name of an object, access the app and point the device toward the object in the sky and the app will display the names of the objects toward which the app is pointed out,” Suparco said.
It said Mars would be visible on the eastern horizon in the constellation Gemini whereas a brighter Jupiter would be located in the constellation Taurus.
“If the sky is dark enough, you can also enjoy the beautiful Pleiades, Hyades, and the yellow star Aldebaran,” Suparco said.
The space agency said high-powered binoculars or a telescope would be required to observe Uranus which lies in the constellation Aries.
It added that strong binoculars would be required to see Neptune in the constellation Pisces while Saturn and Venus would also be visible.
Pakistan’s space agency says rare ‘Planetary Parade’ to be visible from January’s last week
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Pakistan’s space agency says rare ‘Planetary Parade’ to be visible from January’s last week
- Planetary Parade refers to when four or more planets align in a straight line
- Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye, says space agency
Pakistan’s Lahore marks Basant festival after government lifts decades-old ban on kite flying
- Pakistan’s Punjab province outlawed Basant in 2000s after authorities linked metal-coated kite strings and celebratory gunfire to multiple deaths and injuries
- The three-day festivities began after midnight on Thursday as residents gathered on brightly lit rooftops to fly colorful kites to welcome the cultural festival
ISLAMABAD: The eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Friday welcomed the return of Basant spring festival after the government this year lifted a more than two-decade-old ban on kite flying for a period three days, with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz urging masses to follow precautions.
Provincial officials, including Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, were seen flying kites in videos widely shared online. Meanwhile, the prices of air tickets from various Pakistani cities to Lahore have skyrocketed during the three days of the festival as more and more people try to join the celebrations after over a 20-year-hiatus.
Basant, once a vibrant tradition signaling the arrival of spring with colorful kites and rooftop festivities, was outlawed in Pakistan’s Punjab province in the 2000s after authorities linked metal-coated kite strings and celebratory gunfire to multiple deaths and injuries.
The government of CM Nawaz this year allowed Basant festivities in the provincial capital of Lahore, Pakistan’s cultural heart, on Feb. 6-8, but issued an extensive safety plan regarding kite materials and motorcyclists and pedestrians to avoid any untoward incident.
The three-day festivities began after midnight on Thursday as residents of Lahore gathered on their brightly lit rooftops along with family, friends and guests visiting from other cities and abroad to fly colorful kites to welcome the return of Basant.
“Kites return to the skies of Lahore as Basant comes alive again after 25 years,” CM Nawaz said on X. “A celebration of culture, color, and community! Let’s enjoy the festivities together responsibly, follow all safety SOPs (standard operating procedures), and make this Basant safe for everyone.”
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) this week forecast favorable weather conditions for kite flying in Lahore on Feb. 6-8, marked by light westerly winds blowing at speeds of 10–15 kilometers an hour.
Authorities have distributed 1 million safety rods among motorcyclists through designated safety points across Lahore, with spending on the initiative crossing Rs110 million ($392,000), according to local media reports. To enforce regulations and manage traffic flow, around 100 road safety camps have been set up in the city, staffed by teams from the district administration, traffic police and rescue services.
In addition, the Punjab government has launched a free shuttle service to reduce traffic congestion and promote safer travel via 695 buses deployed across Lahore.
