Planetary Parade Is Happening Soon
Newser • • science
Key Points:
- Six planets—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—will appear close together in the night sky on Saturday, creating a planetary parade visible mostly to the naked eye and with binoculars or telescopes.
- Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will be visible without aid if skies are clear, while Uranus and Neptune require optical assistance.
- The best viewing time is about an hour after sunset, looking toward the western sky away from obstructions like buildings and trees.
- Planets can be distinguished from stars because they do not twinkle, according to planetary scientist Sara Mazrouei.
- A similar but more rare event with seven planets occurred last February and will not happen again until
