A rare and spectacular planetary alignment will be visible from the early hours of the morning of Friday, June 3, 2022, when Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will line up in order of their distance from the Sun at dawn before of the dawn. cel. While it is quite common to see two or three planets together, seeing all these five planets lined up is a rare occurrence that has not occurred since December 2004.
“That’s really cool,” said Professor Beth Biller, an exoplanet characterization expert at the University of Edinburgh. “We now know of many other stars that host several planets. This is a rare opportunity to see the same thing closer to home, with the five ‘naked’ planets of our solar system visible at the same time.”
According to Dr. Greg Brown, the public astronomy officer at the Royal Museums of Greenwich, Venus and Jupiter will be the easiest to see, as they will first appear in the night sky, while Mercury will be quite difficult to detect because it will only rise later. just before dawn.
“Your only chance to see the five planets at once is during a very narrow window after Mercury has come out, but before the sun does,” Dr. Brown said. “Binoculars or a telescope may be enough to get through the twilight in the case of the faintest planets, but be very careful when trying to observe Mercury especially this way. Make sure the sun is below the horizon to avoid accidentally looking at it directly, which would be very dangerous for your eyes. “
However, Mercury will be easier to detect in late June as it rises into the sky and lights up. In addition, on June 24, the five planets will be joined by a crescent moon between Venus and Mars, which will be an “extraordinary scene,” according to Dr. Samantha Rolfe, chief technical officer of the Observatory. the University of Hertfordshire.
“You don’t need binoculars or telescopes if you don’t have them; just enjoy the view from wherever possible, even if you can’t see them from your location,” Dr. Rolfe said. “This is a rare spectacle that can help us feel connected to nature and the world around us, and enjoying the night sky in general is a great exercise in well-being.”
“Knowing that so many people are looking at the same sky, as our ancestors did, and our descendants will, is something to look at. Check the weather forecast to see if there are clear or even partially clear skies and put an alarm; it will be worth getting up. ”
–
By Andrei Ionescu, Earth.com staff writer