Paul Sutter, astrophysicist and author of “Your Place in the Universe,” says the party trick can be done anytime during the year at any point of the day.
“I hate to be that astronomer, but the planets don’t care about your broom,” he told USA TODAY.
The trick has less to do with the Earth’s gravitational pull on a certain day and more to do with the object’s center of gravity. Brooms have a low center of gravity, which allows them to balance effortlessly on their bristles, he said.
The debunked broom challenge is also nothing new. The myth of the magic broom has circulated as early as 2012 and seems to surface every year during the spring equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, according to a CNN video. This year, the spring equinox isn’t until March 19.But there is a special occurrence happening in our solar system this year, Sutter said. In February, Earth is sharing the same side of the solar system as five other planets in a planetary alignment, making them more visible to the human eye.
Stargazers can point out Mercury and Venus right after sunset and Mars, Jupiter and Saturn right before sunrise.
“When you’re done balancing your broom, you can go outside and see five planets in the sky at night,” he said.
