On Friday, you should set your alarm to go off approximately 45 minutes before sunrise; otherwise, you will miss it.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be visible in the sky at the same time for the first time in nearly two decades, and it will be the first time they have all been visible at the same time.
The early hours of Friday morning are, according to those knowledgeable in the field, your greatest opportunity to catch a glimpse of the celestial spectacle.
According to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, on June 14 Saturn ascended, marking the beginning of this one-of-a-kind alignment of five planets. Jupiter first showed later in the morning, followed by Mars not long after. After spending the previous month in very close proximity, the distance between those two planets started to increase as the month progressed.
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Mercury, the second brightest planet, was discovered for the very first time in the latter half of June, just to the left of Venus.
According to Adler’s projections, each planet will get within a few days’ distances of the Moon during both this week and the following week. At the end of June, a crescent moon that appeared to be declining emerged to the right of Mars.
The rest of the schedule is as follows:
- June 26: To the left of Venus, a slender waning crescent moon will be seen.
- June 27: A crescent that is even thinner than before may be seen to the left of Mercury.
Why Is Such an Alignment of the Planets So Rare?
In astronomy, a conjunction is a phenomenon that takes place when two or more planets appear to be near one another in the night sky. This proximity can be caused by a variety of factors. On the other hand, the co-occurrence of three or more planets in conjunction is an extremely rare occurrence.
“Venus and Saturn (as morning objects for most observers) will make their leave as morning objects by September,” stated NASA. As the planets start spreading out in the early morning sky after June, “Venus and Saturn will make their departure as morning objects by September,”
When and How to Observe the Alignment
A necessity is to rise and shine early.
Adler suggested taking a quick look to the east and northeast roughly forty-five minutes before sunrise, from a vantage point that was approximately one-third of the way above the southern horizon line.
The 30th of June will mark the beginning of the correct alignment of the planets. There are a few planets visible in the night sky, but the two that stand out the most are Venus and Jupiter.
Because the planets are going to be so bright when the sky is clear, it ought to be possible to view them with the naked eye when the sky is clear.
According to Sky & Telescope, at the beginning of the month, Mercury appeared to be the faintest object visible in the sky. This is likely because Mercury is placed so near to the horizon. On the other hand, as the month progressed, it became less difficult to identify Mercury in the sky.
When is the optimal time to view the Alignment?
According to Sky & Telescope, the day of June 24 may provide the best opportunity to witness the spectacular event.
Approximately one hour will pass between “when Mercury appears above the horizon” and “when the rising Sun sweeps it away,” during which time observers will have the opportunity to watch the alignment.
How to Determine Whether You’re Looking at a Planet or a Star.
Stars, according to Adler, twinkle whereas planets do not.
