Earth's moon (Photo : Reuters /Mike Blake)
A beautiful cosmic event took place on Feb. 20 after the Moon and the planets Venus and Mars were seen so close to one another. The event known only as "conjunction" happens which the planets are position in a unique pattern that they appear to be aligned from Earth.
The event took place after sunset and appeared for duration of at least an hour and according to astronomers the next time this phenomenon will happen will be on 2017. Venus which is approximately 134 million miles away from Earth appeared significantly brighter than Mars which is 203 million miles away, according to Daily Mail.
During the magnificent cosmic event, the moon moves faster compared to the two planets and will pass by between the two creating a celestial clock. The three galactic bodies will form a triangle that is only two degrees across, which means the event is small enough to fit on a field of view even of a low-power telescope.
Venus and Mars will be closest to each other by Saturday, unfortunately it will unfold during daylight and the sun's light will hinder the view from Earth.
Arizona State University astrophysicist Patrick Young said; "It doesn't have any physical significance, but it's pretty impressive to look at. This is one of the more impressive things you'll be able to see with the naked eye."
According to astronomers, the solar system can be likened to a giant clock, with the planets and other bodies orbiting each other with precision just like the time on a clocks hand. With this, astronomers can accurately predict the precise position of the moon and other planets for thousands of years into the future, according CBS News.
