Somerset, England

June is the month that saw a much-anticipated planetary alignment in which not just two or three, but six planets lined up in an awe-inspiring spectacle.

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While the celestial alignment was not the awe-inspiring naked-eye event some expected, but it still offered incredible opportunities for astrophotography. An England-based astrophotographer has done just that.

Amazing spectacle

Josh Dury, an astrophotographer from Somerset, England, captured the celestial line up on June 1, 2024, from Crooks Peak in the Mendip Hills. 

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The alignment was over-hyped on social media and some planets were nearly impossible to spot without aid. However, Dury, using clever photography, brought the spectacle to life. 

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Using multiple exposures, he managed to photograph the six planets — Jupiter, Uranus, Mercury, Mars, Neptune, and Saturn, alongside a crescent moon.

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Talking to space.com, Dury explained that capturing this image required different camera settings due to some planets being close to the sun in the early morning sky. 

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"On Saturday morning when I captured this photograph, I was amazed to see Saturn, the moon, and Mars," Dury told Space.com. 

"I needed to capture separate exposures in order to capture the fainter planets as well as Jupiter, Uranus, and Mercury, closer to the glare of the sun; this image is therefore a composite to capture this perspective," he explained.

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Dury said this experience offered him a moment to ponder humanity's place in the vast universe and the cosmos. 

"It is quite amazing in taking a moment to step back and appreciate the sheer scale and perspective of our place in the universe," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)