MultipleSclerocid EdgeSix cyclones spin around the Southern Hemisphere simultaneously in rare meteorological event
Six simultaneous named storms last occurred in the Pacific Ocean in 1974, with five in the Atlantic in 1971.
Cyclone Alfred is set to make landfall in Australia on Thursday – click here for live updates.
It comes as meteorologists point to warm sea surface temperatures and weak wind shear as contributing factors to stronger storms in recent years. Both of these may be linked to La Nina weather phenomenon, AccuWeather Lead International Expert Jason Nicholls explained.
A marine heatwave near Western Australia has lasted since September 2024, with unusually high sea surface temperatures in late February.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology predicted more severe tropical cyclones in the South Pacific this season as oceans were warmer than expected. The Southern Hemisphere’s tropical season is from November to April.
I suppose I got the dates wrong, I wonder what they were.
A rare celestial event will take place on Friday, February 28, 2025, when seven planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will align in the evening sky. The alignment will be visible shortly after sunset on February 28, multiple planets simultaneously toward the western horizon to spot the planets appearing in a line. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will be easily visible to the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars or a telescope because of their lower brightness. Saturn will be the most difficult to observe as it will be positioned close to the Sun and may be obscured by its glare in some locations.
Mars, with a magnitude of -0.4, will be the highest in the sky, positioned in the constellation Gemini. Jupiter, shining at -2.3 magnitude, will be slightly lower in the constellation Taurus and will be the second brightest planet visible. Uranus, with a magnitude of 5.8, will be located near the border of Taurus and Aries. Venus, will have a magnitude of -4.8 and will be found in the constellation Pisces.
Neptune, with a faint magnitude of 7.8, will be positioned close to the western horizon in Pisces, requiring a powerful telescope for observation. Mercury, shining at -1.2 magnitude, will be low in the sky in the constellation Aquarius and will be visible for only a short time after sunset. Saturn, with a magnitude of 1.1, will be extremely close to the Sun, making it the most challenging planet to observe. Observers will need precise timing and an optimal location to spot it before it sets.
New Moon, providing an excellent opportunity Catching all seven planets at once requires precise timing, as Saturn will set early, reducing the observation window. Planetary alignments occur when multiple planets appear close together in Earth’s sky because of their positions in their respective orbits. This happens when the planets gather on the same side of the Sun, aligning from Earth’s perspective. While perfect linear alignment is nearly impossible because of the varying orbital planes, events like this create an impressive visual spectacle.
The last time all seven planets were visible together in the night sky was in April 2024. The next similar alignment is not expected until September 2040, making this a rare and noteworthy event for astronomers and enthusiasts alike. [It might be an idea to check out volcanic and earthquke activity, it would appear the wisevisiers are brain dead otherwise.]
Several other notable planetary alignments will occur beyond February 28. On April 17, 2025, Neptune, Mercury, Saturn, and Venus will align in the morning sky. On August 10, 2025, a large alignment will take place before sunrise, featuring Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn.
On February 28, 2026, another major alignment will occur involving Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter. On August 10, 2026, an alignment of Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune will be visible in the morning sky.
References: Watchers.com
1 Planetary Alignments and Planet Parades – NASA – February 4, 2025
2 Planets Align on February 28, 2025: How to See the “Great Planet Parade” – Star Walk 2 – February 23, 2025