After January’s Wolf Moon, we’ve already started the year with some incredible skygazing events. But last night showed six planets in alignment across the night sky for the first time in 100 years.
The planets Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will be visible in the night sky for the remainder of January and into February. This phenomenon is extremely rare, and is referred to as “planetary alignment” or a “planetary parade”.
However, only four of the planets (Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn) will be visible to the naked eye at once, while Neptune and Uranus can only be seen through a telescope, according to BBC Weather.
The Moon will reportedly join the parade, and be visible in alignment with the six other celestial bodies in the sky for the next few nights. But how will we be able to spot this once-in-a-lifetime event? Here’s everything you need to know.
Where exactly will the planets be?
There are several ways you can find the planets in the sky (other than just looking up). Download SkyView Lite for free for an augmented reality that layers the position of planets, constellations and other celestial beings through your phone camera.
You can also use timeanddate.com to determine which planets will be visible in your exact location. Mars is the most easterly planet in the line and will be exceptionally bright. It will be high and bright and up to the left of where Jupiter is, near the Gemini constellation in the East, reported MyLondon.
Next in the line, you can find Jupiter above the famous constellation Orion, quite high in the sky. Following will be Venus, slightly lower in the sky, and Saturn in the southwest. If you have a telescope, Uranus and Neptune will also be visible in the parade.
How rare is it for six planets to align
It’s extremely rare for six planets to align in the sky, and it only happens about once every 100 years, Star Date said.
It would take 13.4 trillion years for all eight planets to align within 1 degree of each other, according to How Stuff Works. The universe is thought to be only 13.8 billion years old, so this would be very rare indeed.
Weather and viewing conditions
The planets will be in roughly the same position into early February, so if conditions aren’t perfect on the night you choose, there will be plenty of opportunities to see the planetary parade.
Clear nights with few clouds are best for viewing, and it’s preferable to stargaze where there is as little light pollution as possible. Remember to check the weather before you attempt to catch this incredible celestial event.
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