Friday morning could be the best time to see a rare planetary alignment that has received early risers this month and will not happen again until 2040.
Throughout June, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn have aligned from left to right in the southeastern sky, in their orbital order from the sun.
On Friday (June 24) the “planet parade” will feature a special guest as the crescent moon lies between Venus and Mars, acting as Earth’s “spare part” in the planetary procession. According to a statement (opens in a new tab) from Sky & Telescope, Mercury should rise about an hour before the sun on Friday, meaning there is enough time to catch a glimpse of the entire parade before the sun end the display party.
This event should not be missed, as the last time these five planets were aligned was in 2004 and will not happen again until 2040, according to BBC Science Focus.
Related: The brightest planets in the June night sky: how to see them (and when)
According to BBC Science Focus, the best time to see the 2022 alignment will be between 3:39 am and the sunrise at 4:43 am on the morning of June 24, 2022. Saturn will lead the parade, which is will pick up around 11:21 pm local time. time (June 23) for New York residents, depending on time and date (opens in a new tab), Jupiter will follow at 1:05, Mars at 1:44, Venus at 3: 33 and finally Mercury at 4:11 p.m.
The exact time of the event varies depending on your specific location, so you’ll want to check out a sky-watching app like SkySafari or software like Starry Night to check schedules. Our choices for the best star-watching apps can help you with your planning.
Throughout June, the moon has embarked on a planetary “acquaintance and greeting” in the sky before dawn, passing first Saturn on June 18, then Jupiter on June 21, and Mars on June 22. The moon will continue its tour in the coming days, passing through Venus. on June 26 and then ending his tour with Mercury on June 27.
If you’re looking for a telescope or binoculars to see lineups like Friday’s event, our guides to the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals can help you now. Our best astrophotography cameras and the best astrophotography lenses to prepare you to capture the next star-watching vision in a photo.
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