observing planets It's one of the most awe-inspiring ways to see the magic of the night sky – and there's no better way to see them than with the planets aligning. This is where multiple planets line up next to each other.
On January 21, six planets – Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune – will appear together in the sky, and their alignment will be easily seen from almost all parts of the world. But if you miss your chance to see the night sky on January 21, don't worry: There's plenty of time to see this planetary parade.
The alignment will be visible for about a month, from mid to late February. However, the positions of the planets will change at this time, so their positions on January 21 will not be the same as their positions at the end of February.
While a conjunction of two planets is somewhat common, a conjunction of five or more is quite rare. There will be two more planetary alignments this year that involve five or more planets, but after that, the next alignment of five or more planets will be won't happen until 2040,
Here's everything you need to know to see this planetary alignment.
how to see
To get the best view, give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. You'll want to view this planetary alignment from a location after the sun sets and away from artificial light, which makes it harder to see objects in the night sky.
Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Venus will be visible in an arc from east to west. You can see four of these planets with your naked eye; However, two of them – Uranus and Neptune – require a good pair of high-powered binoculars or a backyard telescope. Below are the exact locations to see each planet in the night sky on the 21st, but if you're not sure how to find them, don't worry—apps like Stellarium It can help you locate planets and other celestial bodies easily.
when to see
The best time to see the planets is shortly after sunset, as three of them—Venus, Saturn and Neptune—set between about 9 and 10:30 p.m. local time. Note that the exact time of each planet's rise and set will vary slightly depending on your location on Earth; You can use websites like time and date To know the exact time where you are.
It's best to start skywatching before dusk if you can, as Venus, Saturn and Neptune will move low toward the horizon before setting, and will become more difficult to see as the evening approaches.
Mars planet
On January 21, Mars will be in the east, directly under Gemini. Mars has just reached opposition – meaning Earth is directly between it and the Sun – so the Red Planet will appear at its largest and brightest and will be visible all night.
Mars can be easily seen with the naked eye. But if you use backyard binoculars, you will be able to see it The northern polar ice cap, which extends more than 600 milesand this Vallis MarinerisThe largest canyon in the solar system, which runs along Mars' equator and is more than 1,800 miles long.
Jupiter
Jupiter will be in Taurus, west of Mars. Jupiter can be easily seen with the naked eye. However, a pair of high-powered binoculars will allow you to see Jupiter's moons and possibly its cloud bands.
A backyard telescope will allow you to see the giant planet in even greater detail. See Jupiter's cloud bands and its stunning red spot, which is an anticyclone over 10,000 miles wide—1.3 times the width of the Earth. The Red Spot is not always visible from Earth, because Jupiter's day is about 10 hours longWhich means the storm spends a large portion of time away from Earth over many nights. you can use This calculator is from Sky & Telescope To see when it might be visible from your location.
Jupiter will be visible most of the night: It rises in the mid to late afternoon on January 21 and sets between about 3 and 5 a.m. on January 22, depending on your exact location.
uranus
On the 21st, Uranus will be about 50 degrees west of Jupiter and slightly below that. Uranus will appear closer pleiadesA bright star cluster that is visible to the naked eye.
You will need a pair of high-powered binoculars or a backyard telescope to see Uranus, as it is so dim that it cannot be easily seen with the naked eye. Through such instruments, Uranus looks like a star with a light blue hue. Although Uranus has rings, they are too faint to be seen, even with viewing equipment. However, if you have a powerful backyard telescope, you can potentially see its moons.