Planetary Alignment

A Planetary Alignment (or Syzygy) is a straight line configuration of several planets. In the first Tomb Raider Movie, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, an alignment of all nine planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) is imminent. Such an event is said to occur every 5,000 years.

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  First Stage

Full Planetary Alignment

First Stage

On May 15h 2001, the first stage of the planetary alignment occurs, in which Pluto and Neptune align with Uranus.

Brothers and sisters, today is the 15th of May, the first day of the planetary alignment, and we are still no nearer to discovering the location of the key.

— Distinguished Gentleman, head of the Illuminati, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Lara is watching this event through the telescope in the Croft Manor's Astronomy Room.

Tonight Pluto and Neptune align with Uranus. It's the first stage of the alignment of all nine planets culminating in a full solar eclipse.

— Lara Croft, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

During this first stage, an ancient artefact, the All-Seeing Eye clock is activated and starts counting down to the full planetary alignment.

Second Stage

In his letter to Lara, Lord Richard Croft tells her that she has to be at the hiding place of the first part of the Triangle of Light, in the Tomb of the Dancing Light, in Cambodia, at the exact moment of the second stage of the alignment.

Lara, do you remember the jasmine that only grows in one temple on the ancient Khmer trail in Cambodia? That is the entrance to the Tomb of the Dancing Light, where the first half of the Triangle is hidden. You must be there at the exact moment of the second phase of the planetary alignment.

— Lord Richard Croft, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Only during this second stage can the first part of the Triangle be found, using the All-Seeing Eye as a key.

Real Life Facts

Such an event - where all nine planets (please note that nowadays we only have eight planets in our solar system, as Pluto is no longer a planet by definition) align - is highly unlikely and will not occur every 5,000 years.