The celestial show on Tuesday is not to be missed! After sunset, five planets will line up in the western horizon, with Mercury and Jupiter vanishing in just 30 minutes.
This week, keep an eye to the skies for the possibility of observing a planetary hangout.
Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Mars will all be in close proximity to the moon.
CAN YOU SEE THEM AND WHEN?
Tuesday is the greatest day to see the entire bunch. NASA astronomer Bill Cooke advised looking to the western horizon shortly after sunset.
From the horizon to about halfway up the night sky, planets will be visible. But hurry; about 30 minutes after sunset, Mercury and Jupiter will soon disappear behind the horizon.
If you have clear skies and a view in the west, you can see the five planet spread from everywhere on Earth.
The beauty of these planetary alignments lies within them. It doesn’t take much, according to Cooke.
ARE BINOCULARS REQUIRED?
Maybe. As they radiate brilliantly, Cooke predicted that it will be rather simple to see Jupiter, Venus, and Mars.
One of the brightest objects in the sky will be Venus, while Mars will be lingering close to the moon with a reddish glow. The fact that Mercury and Uranus will be darker means that they might be harder to see. Binoculars will probably be needed, so get them now.
It’s a rare opportunity for “planet collectors” to see Uranus, which is typically not visible, according to Cooke. Its green glow will be visible just above Venus.
IS THIS A RARE OCCURRENCE?
There are occasionally alignments of various numbers and combinations of planets in the sky. The five-planet lineup from last summer will be repeated in June with a slightly modified composition.
According to Cooke, this type of alignment occurs when the planets are positioned on one side of the sun from Earth.
