Neither those who are afraid of the humanity by the parade of planets or those who insist on it security, can not give this phenomenon a clear definition. Otshumeli was celebrated by the world festival of destruction of mankind. Sad journalists who lost an easy theme to create information noise, frowned scientists accustomed in recent weeks to public attention, alternative gifted citizens deepened in the search for new dates.

In recent weeks the number of calls from different media really was strong. Friends instead of "Hello" at the meeting said, "We saw you on TV!" Unknown networks requested the Council on psychology and asked, not relative, if I ever vibe that live in Koblenz. A number of scientists on the screen was almost equal to the number of psychics... But it's all over now, comes the realization that the end of the world was not so bad, once attracted to science at least some attention.

Of course, later you will be others, but such a concentrated end of the world as of December 21, 2012, to wait long. Can we try to anticipate? At least one aspect of unfulfilled Apocalypse amenable to prediction - the parade of the planets. However, experience 21-12-12 says that fantasies about the parade of the planets could not have any relation to the real location of the bodies of the Solar system. But I hope that over the past week, people are still imbued with a simple truths: 1) any configuration of the planets formed IU-e-antenna, not so, today, and tomorrow suddenly jump up - and parade of planets; 2) any configuration of the planets in the foreseeable future is predictable using the free public programs; 3) any configuration bright planets scanned without the use of special equipment to the naked eye or through binoculars. That is, I still hope that for some time unfounded predictions parade of planets on 56 martore will not be popular.

However, following the explanation of the lack parade of planets on December 21, 2012 invariably followed the question: "And when will it be?" And there is the problem of terminology: chat about the parade of planets capable of many, including astronomers, but there is no common understanding of what it is. And it's out of order! How can I say that such and such date will be no parade of planets, if I don't know what that is? Therefore there was the need of a little systematize their understanding.

So, a clear definition for astronomical phenomena "parade of planets" is missing. Option "all the planets line up exactly in one line" swept aside at once: it is not in Space, to all and on line. A more realistic definition are reduced to that of the planet on the parade should be approximately in the same direction, but disagree on what exactly should be considered roughly the same direction.

Going to start to believe that approximately one line should be the Earth and another pair of planets. To watch this microfarad planets through a telescope, it is necessary that the angular distance between them does not exceed the size of the visual field, there was about one degree or less. Such pairs of connections planets occur very often, several times a year, but this does not mean that all of them are suitable for observation. With a list of upcoming connections you can see here. Pay attention to the connection time and elongation, i.e. the angle between planets and the Sun. The more elongation, the better will be seen on the planet.

In the table there are no data about connections with elongation less than 10°, because to see them unrealistic, but when several large elongated the opportunity to observe the connection depends on specific conditions. For example, on September 18, 2013 is appropriate connection Venus and Saturn will happen on a very good elongation at 43 degrees, but to see it will be difficult, because the planet at this time will be low on the horizon (in our latitudes). For the same reason inconvenient for observation and will conjunction Mars and Saturn on August 25, 2014; and even the elongation at a 75-degree does not make it right. But Venus to Mars on February 22, 2015 will probably look better.

In General, the lower planets (mercury and Venus), the situation uncomfortable. They fly quickly, with each other and with other planets closer often, but the conditions of observation because of the proximity to the Sun almost always uncomfortable that sometimes even insulting. For example, on 22 November 2065 happens even closer, and a cover of Jupiter Venus. But to see it in 8 degrees from the Sun will be even more difficult than to live up to 2065.

From the top of the planets great event awaits us in 2020, when Jupiter and Saturn will only 6 angular minutes from each other. You will laugh, but it will happen on December 21. (Well, as Maya guessed the day and month, but missed eight years? Well, we'll all die!) Unfortunately, too low above the horizon, but it will have to rasstaratsya, because such a miracle with two major planets of the Solar system is about once every 20 years. However, around this date, they will also not very far from each other, which also offers a convenient points for observation.

Look in the foreseeable future date, when the field of view of the telescope you can see three of the planet, much harder. You probably try to catch binoculars mercury, Venus and Mars at sunset on may 27, 2013 - the distance between them is less than 2.5 degrees. At the dawn of the last days of October 2015 in the field of a diameter of the order 4th, you can see Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. And this for the next ten years, it seems, if we insist on the observation through a telescope. (I just look more or less easily observed options and therefore do not write about the connection with Uranus and Neptune.)

But you can interpret the notion of a parade of planets more widely, considering them not forming "nearly in a line", but also any situation, when the sky you can see several planets. Recent recall, for example, the summer of 2010: while we do not clouded with smoke, in one fell swoop we showed Venus, Mars and Saturn. And the April evening 2014 at the same time can be demonstrated Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter. But this is not, of course, to any comparison with the morning hours of the middle of March 1982, when the sky (though, again low in the sky) at the same time wore seven planets - Venus, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Pluto (the last time it was a planet and therefore legitimately included in the parade). But the July nights 2022 set of bodies will be the same, but the planets will see one less (because Pluto).

Can this sight to be the parade of planets or not, the question is whether, for the planet in such situations, though visible at the same time, but stretched to the sky. By the way, in the end of 2012, started saying that on December 21, will be the parade of planets, because the planets are lined up in one line, not in space, but in heaven. So in heaven they always built roughly along the same line of the Ecliptic.

I don't mean parade of planets catastrophic sense, therefore, not talking about situations when the planets line up on opposite sides of the Earth. This alignment of all eight planets (as found on Astroforum) expects us in 3101 year. Hope now for this year no one end of the world prophesy not.

There is one body, which I have not mentioned, is the Moon. She, too, all the time is near the Ecliptic, and therefore often takes planetary approaches very active part, sometimes even eclipsing them. In particular, in the evening of 25 December 2012 the Moon was just some degree from Jupiter.