By Robin Bradshaw,
Skywatchers will have the opportunity to witness a six-planet parade during the early morning hours on June 3 when the planets Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune align in the early morning sky.
Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn may be spotted with the naked eye, according to Star Walk Astronomical News. However, a telescope or high-powered binoculars will be needed to see Neptune and Uranus.
The planets will be visible just before sunrise.
The celestial event is called a “planetary parade” or “planetary alignment” and is a term used in astronomy to describe the event when several planets gather in a small sky area, Star Walk said. A mini planetary alignment is three planets, small is four and large is five or six planets. A great or full planetary alignment is all the solar system planets, and sometimes Pluto since Pluto has now been reclassified as a dwarf planet.
The 2024 calendar year will include two large planetary parades, June 3 and August 28. Both dates include six planets. In 2025, the calendar year will kick off with a large planetary parade of six planets on January 18. The following month, February 28, is rare, with a full evening alignment of Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars. This is the next time seven planets will be visible in the sky at once.
The upcoming dates, Star Walk reports, for the upcoming planet parades scheduled for 2024 and 2025:
The celestial event is called a “planetary parade” or “planetary alignment” and is a term used in astronomy to describe the event when several planets gather in a small sky area, Star Walk said. A mini planetary alignment is three planets, small is four and large is five or six planets. A great or full planetary alignment is all the solar system planets, and sometimes Pluto since Pluto has now been reclassified as a dwarf planet.
The 2024 calendar year will include two large planetary parades, June 3 and August 28. Both dates include six planets. In 2025, the calendar year will kick off with a large planetary parade of six planets on January 18. The following month, February 28, is rare, with a full evening alignment of Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars. This is the next time seven planets will be visible in the sky at once.
The upcoming dates, Star Walk reports, for the upcoming planet parades scheduled for 2024 and 2025: