Rare Six-Planet Alignment Lights Up Saturday Sky

(MENAFN) Skywatchers will have a rare opportunity on Saturday to see six planets line up in the evening sky, an event often called a “planetary parade,” as stated by astronomy reports.

Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are expected to appear along the same stretch of sky shortly after sunset. The viewing window is limited to roughly 30 to 45 minutes before some planets dip below the horizon.

This alignment occurs due to the planets orbiting along the same plane around the Sun, known as the ecliptic. From Earth, this creates the appearance of multiple planets occupying the same area of the sky simultaneously.

Of the six planets, four can be seen without any optical aid. Venus will shine brightest, appearing low in the western sky near Aquarius at about magnitude −3.9. Jupiter will be visible in Gemini on the opposite side, while Saturn takes position between them in Pisces. Mercury will remain close to the western horizon and could be tricky to spot without a clear view.

The remaining two planets will require binoculars or a telescope. Neptune, near Saturn, is too faint to be seen unaided, while Uranus, higher in Taurus near the Pleiades, may be difficult to detect due to the nearly full Moon.

Astronomers note that such planetary alignments happen when several planets cluster in a narrow portion of the sky and say the display will be particularly easy to observe from the Northern Hemisphere.

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