The most prominent object seen in the night sky during the month of June is not a star at all. It is a phenomenon known as the parade of not one but five planets in alignment, and it will continue to decorate the sky before dawn until the end of the month.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are some of the planets that may be seen here. The arrangement of the planets in the sky is one of the factors that contribute to the extraordinary nature of the sighting. It will proceed in the exact same manner that their individual orbits do while they are around the sun. This particular event is not common. From Earth we have not seen this particular configuration of the planets since 2004, and we won’t get the opportunity to do so again until the year 2040.
How will you be able to see the five planets that are on exhibit this month?
Anyone interested in stargazing in the Northern Hemisphere should choose a location with broad views of the eastern and southeastern horizons. When seen from the Southern Hemisphere, the eastern and northeastern horizons should be emphasized. The spectacle will not be seen in locations that are now seeing midnight sun, including Iceland or Alaska.
The string of planets has been visible in the sky for the whole of this month, but the finest viewing opportunities are expected during this week. On June 24, the five planets as well as a waning crescent moon will line in an arc through the sky for almost one full hour before the sun rises. This will be the most spectacular performance of all of the planetary alignments that will occur this year. The moon’s orbit will no longer be in its correct position by the 25th of June.
It is not a problem in terms of equipment if you do not have any binoculars or telescopes on hand. Even in the more light-polluted sky of larger cities, it will be possible to see the planets with the naked eye because they will be so brilliant. Having said that, you should make the most of your stargazing equipment if you have it so that you may meet some of the Earth’s more distant neighbors face to face.
Tiesha loves to share her passion for everything that’s beautiful in this world. Apart from writing on her beauty blog and running her own beauty channel on Youtube, she also enjoys traveling and photography. Tiesha covers various stories on the website.