A Rare Celestial Event
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, look up in the sky on June 3. Get ready for a spectacular celestial event! A “planet parade” is set to take place, where six planets will appear to align in the sky near dawn. However, only three of these planets will be visible to the naked eye. Despite sounding extraordinary, such alignments are more common than you might think.
What to Expect
According to Dr. James O’Donoghue, a planetary astronomer and research fellow at the University of Reading in the UK, you will be able to see Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter with the naked eye. For those with binoculars, Uranus might also be visible if you know where to look. However, Dr. O’Donoghue advises against waiting until sunrise, as earlier in the night is better for spotting Uranus.
“You can only see about half the planets in this planetary lineup with the naked eye,” Dr. O’Donoghue noted.
Best Viewing Time
The optimal time to view this planetary alignment in Europe and North America will be on Sunday, approximately half an hour before sunrise. This timing might also give you a chance to spot Mercury, although it will be challenging even with binoculars.
“The sun will be illuminating the sky in that area just before sunrise, making it very bright,” Dr. O’Donoghue explained. “And you probably don’t want to be pointing your binoculars near the sun.”
For those with a telescope, it will be easier to spot Uranus and Neptune, but you’ll need to zoom in so much that you might miss the overall alignment.
Order of Alignment
On Sunday, the planets will align in the following order: Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune, and Saturn, accompanied by a crescent moon. By Thursday, the moon will move out of the way, reducing light pollution, and Mercury will have switched positions with Jupiter.
Planetary Alignments: What They Mean
Dr. Kate Pattle, a lecturer in the department of physics and astronomy at University College London, clarified that this alignment is only a visual effect from Earth.
“From the perspective of someone on Earth, it looks like there is a straight line of planets, which we call a planetary alignment or parade,” Dr. Pattle explained. “But physically, there’s no actual alignment happening. If the planets truly aligned in space, that would be called a syzygy, a much rarer event.”
Frequency of Planetary Alignments
Despite sounding special, such planetary alignments are not rare. “There will be several more in the next couple of years because the outer planets move more slowly in the sky, creating many chances for these alignments,” Dr. Pattle said. “A better alignment will happen next February, including Venus, which is missing from this one.”
Viewing Tips
Dr. Pattle suggests Monday, about an hour before sunrise, as a good time to see the alignment in most parts of the world. She is optimistic that Mercury will be visible without instruments if you are in an area with low light pollution.
“Mercury is usually visible with the naked eye if you’re somewhere with low light pollution, but it’s better with binoculars,” she said. “It’s not particularly bright and is only visible shortly before dawn, so it’s on a fairly bright background.”
Using apps like Stellarium Mobile or Night Sky can help locate the planets. Aim to be somewhere with a low horizon and a clear view to the east, as Jupiter, Mercury, and Uranus will be close to the horizon.
“Jupiter will be the easiest to spot as it will be the brightest object in the sky after the moon,” Dr. Pattle added. “The other planets won’t twinkle like stars, which can help distinguish them.”
Final Thoughts
Mark your calendars and set your alarms early to catch this celestial show. Whether you have advanced equipment or just your eyes, this planetary parade promises to be a fascinating sight for sky-watchers.
