NEW YORK — Keep an eye fixed to the sky this week for an opportunity to see a planetary hangout.
Five planets — Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus and Mars — will line up close to the moon.
The greatest day to catch the entire group is Tuesday. You’ll wish to look to the western horizon proper after sundown, stated NASA astronomer Bill Cooke.
The planets will stretch from the horizon line to round midway up the evening sky. But don’t be late: Mercury and Jupiter will shortly dip under the horizon round half an hour after sundown.
The five-planet unfold might be seen from anyplace on Earth, so long as you might have clear skies and a view of the west.
“That’s the beauty of these planetary alignments. It doesn’t take much,” Cooke stated.
DO I NEED BINOCULARS?
Maybe. Jupiter, Venus and Mars will all be fairly simple to see since they shine brightly, Cooke stated. Venus shall be one of many brightest issues within the sky, and Mars shall be hanging out close to the moon with a reddish glow. Mercury and Uranus may very well be trickier to identify, since they are going to be dimmer. You’ll in all probability have to seize a pair of binoculars.
If you’re a “planet collector,” it’s a uncommon probability to identify Uranus, which often isn’t seen, Cooke stated. Look out for its inexperienced glow simply above Venus.
DOES THIS HAPPEN OFTEN?
Different numbers and teams of planets line up within the sky once in a while. There was a five-planet lineup final summer time and there’s one other one in June, with a barely totally different make-up.
This form of alignment occurs when the planets’ orbits line them up on one aspect of the solar from Earth’s perspective, Cooke stated.
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