Five planets are moving in a rare alignment that will be visible from Earth this week. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are lined up – in that order – for the first time since December 2004. On Friday, June 24, the phenomenon will be most visible to observers of the stars.
Although it is common to see the coincidence of three planets close to each other, seeing five is rare, according to Sky & Telescope. The planets are arranged in their natural order relative to the Sun, which is also remarkable, writes the scientific journal published by the American Astronomical Society.
The five so-called “naked eye” planets were visible in early June 3 and 4, and the arrangement could be seen with binoculars – but only about half an hour before Mercury was lost in the glare of the sun.
Sky & Telescope says that the best time to see how the planets are arranged on June 24 is 45 minutes before sunrise. It should be visible on the eastern horizon. The sky and the telescope
But on June 24, the viewing will be optimal. Even if the distance between Mercury and Saturn increases, it becomes easier to see Mercury, so it becomes easier to see all five planets, said Diana Hanikainen, observer editor of Sky & Telescope, in an email to CBS News .
Hanikainen said the sky on the morning of the 24th would “be a delightful sight” because the waning crescent would also join the procession between Venus and Mars.
The planets must be seen in the days before. Sky & Telescope says the best time to see the queue on June 24 is 45 minutes before sunrise. It should be visible on the eastern horizon.
Four of the planets with the naked eye have lined up in the last few months, according to NASA. But in the next few months, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter and Venus will expand. By September, Venus and Saturn will no longer be visible to most observers.
Another astronomical phenomenon will be visible in June: the globular star cluster M13, a tightly packed spherical collection of stars. M13, also known as the Hercules Cluster, contains thousands of stars believed to be about 12 billion years old, almost the age of the universe itself, NASA said.
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Caitlin O’Kane is a digital content producer covering current stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.
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