Witness the "Planet Parade": Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and More in Rare Alignment!
A predawn sky will be graced by a planetary alignment, often referred to as a "planet parade," according to StarWalk.space, a website dedicated to stargazing and astronomy. This alignment will showcase six planets: Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune, and Saturn. How does the alignment take place? Part of our solar system, along with other stars of the Milky Way galaxy, is seen over Lone Rock in Skull Valley, Utah. This view was captured facing approximately south at about 1 a.m. on July 15, 2018 (Source: NASA) In the solar system, the planets revolve around the sun continuously. Over time, they gradually converge with one another. According to NASA, they appear to align because they are all passing Earth along the same path, the ecliptic. However, since each planet moves at a different speed depending on its distance from the sun, this alignment configuration will only last for a short while. Where to look for the planet alignment ~ Beautiful Sighting Awaits! (Source: Google Images) If the weather permits, the planetary alignment can be seen nearly everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere by gazing up toward the eastern sky. Particularly when two or four planets are involved, planet alignments are not very uncommon. They do happen multiple times a year. It is less common with five or more planets aligned. April 8 was the last day the Northern Hemisphere saw a planetary alignment. It should be possible to see Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn with the unaided eye. However, you'll need very strong binoculars to see Neptune and Uranus—which will be closest to Mercury. The planets may be obscured from your view by nearby towering buildings or steep mountains. Launch the Sky Tonight app, choose the appropriate day and time in the Time Machine at the top of the screen, then look at the sky map to see how the planets will seem from your location on that particular date. To observe how the planets blend seamlessly with your environment, switch to the augmented reality mode. Furthermore, the alignment may continue for a few days before and following that day rather than being restricted to just one. Thus, if June 3 passed you by, don't panic and try to find planets on a different day that falls around that date! When will the planets align again? Make plans for the planetary observations you will be doing in the next years! Additionally, take note of the upcoming planetary alignment. The world does not regard planetary alignments in the same way. The ecliptic's location on the celestial sphere means that some planets might not be seen from your location. As such, please remember that this is just a general overview of planetary alignments and not an exhaustive list. When the planets can be seen plainly from most places in the world is indicated by the dates provided. Don't worry if you miss this exact date; the alignment will usually be visible for a few days before and following the specified date. Here's when StarWalk.space predicts the next six- and 7-planetary alignments will happen: ◾ June 3: Six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. ◾ Aug. 28: Six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. ◾ Jan. 18, 2025 :Six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune ◾ Feb. 28, 2025: Seven planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. (The last time all seven planets aligned was on April 8 during the total solar eclipse). ◾ Aug. 29, 2025:Six planets – Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. SOURCE: StarWalk.space, NASA, Astronomy.com