This weekend, six worlds will unite in a rare ‘planet parade’
This weekend there will be a chance to see a rare astronomical phenomenon – Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all aligned in the sky like beads on a string
The planets are aligning. This Saturday we will get a rare opportunity to see several of our nearest cosmic neighbors in the same sky. The six planets will assemble themselves for a spectacular “planet parade” that you’ll be able to see all over the world – provided you have clear skies.
Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter will all be visible to the naked eye between half an hour to an hour around twilight; They will appear in the same order, rising above the horizon shortly after sunset. To see them, astronomers recommend going to a high altitude and cloudless place because all the visible planets will be relatively low in the western sky. One of the lowest planets will be Mercury, the smallest planet and a rare sight from Earth. Will leave only the Mars display.
Those with telescopes will also be able to glimpse our two most distant celestial companions, Neptune and Uranus. The two “ice giants” will be very blurry, but will also leave their mark on this global, starlit stage.
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The planets in our solar system revolve around the Sun in more or less the same plane because they were all formed from the same disk of swirling gas and dust that was left behind when our Sun was born. Their respective orbits are different, but every few years, by chance, they all become located on approximately the same side of the Sun. There will also be a night in 2040 when you will be able to see all seven planets in the same sky.
So, especially if you’re in the Northeast of the US, nature is giving you a perfect way to recover from blizzard weeks spent indoors. Bundle up, grab a hot beverage and march into the evening to get a front row seat to Our Planetary Neighbors’ spectacular performance.
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