Do not miss the parade of the planet that will take place in a few days.
Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Mars
will align in an arc formation on the nights of
March 25-30
, alongside the Moon.
What's Up: March 2023 Skywatching Tips from NASA
However, Jupiter can plunge into sunset and be lost to sunlight after the 28th, so try to catch this relatively rare cosmic event by then, reports
Science Alert.
If you want to spot all five planets in one night, timing, dark skies, and
a clear view of the horizon
are key.
How to watch the planetary parade
You can probably see some of these planets from your city.
Venus will be the easiest to spot with the naked eye
, because it is the third brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and the Moon.
However, some of the other planets, like Uranus and Mercury, can be harder to see.
Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and Mars will align on the nights of March 25-30, next to the Moon.
Get the best odds by moving away from city lights, to a place with dark skies, before sunset.
Be sure to check the weather and
plan for a cloudless night.
Settle in a spot with a
clear, unobstructed view
of the western horizon—no mountains or buildings to block the sunset!
You will have to look down on the horizon to spot
Jupiter and Mercury.
You'll probably need binoculars, or even a telescope, to see Uranus.
While most of the planets should be visible to the naked eye, you'll probably
need binoculars
, or even a telescope,
to see Uranus
and get the full procession of five planets.
An easy way to identify the planets is to download an astronomy app like
Sky Tonight or SkySafari
, which will show you exactly where each planet is in the night sky.
Where to look in the hours after sunset
Shortly after the Sun dips below the horizon,
look west
.
Low in the sky, where the Sun has just set,
Jupiter and Mercury will appear next to each other.
Diminishing sunlight can make them difficult to see with the naked eye.
So if you can't spot them at first,
try binoculars.
Just make sure the Sun is below the horizon so you don't hurt your eyes looking at it through binoculars.
The duo will only be visible for less than an hour after sunset.
After that,
they will sink below the horizon
and you will not be able to see them.
Now is the time to admire Venus, the brightest star-like object in the night sky, hovering over Jupiter, and search for Uranus with your binoculars.
An easy way to identify the planets is to download an astronomy app like Sky Tonight or SkySafari.
Uranus will be above and to the left of Venus
, very close.
You'll be able to see the fainter planet better after all sunlight has vanished from the sky, taking Jupiter and Mercury with it.
You'll have an hour or two
to search for him before that duo is also hiding below the horizon.
On the other hand,
you will have plenty of time to see the red planet, Mars.
It will appear bright red and high in the southwestern sky, above and slightly to the left of the crescent Moon on March 25-27, then below the Moon on March 28 and beyond.
Extra planet: Saturn.
If you stay up all night or wake up before dawn, you might see
Saturn
hanging low on the eastern horizon just before sunrise on March 27 and 28.
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