'Planet parade' 2024: How to view the astronomical event

Get ready skywatchers, another astronomical event will take place on June 3.

A planetary alignment, or a "planet parade" according to the internet, where we'll see six planets – Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune and Saturn – grace our sky in the predawn hours, according to StarWalk.space, a stargazing and astronomical website.

How does the alignment happen?

The planets orbit the sun continuously in the solar system. The planets will slowly catch up to one another over time. Because they are all traveling along the same path, the ecliptic, as they pass Earth, it appears as though they are aligned, according to NASA. However, the alignment formation will be short-lived since each planet moves at different speeds, depending on its distance from the sun.

Where to look for the planet alignment

Looking in the eastern sky the planetary alignment will be visible almost everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, weather permitting.

You'll need high-powered binoculars to view the majority of the planets – Mercury and Jupiter will be extremely low in the sky. Uranus will be fairly dim and Neptune will appear star-like with binoculars due to its distance from Earth. But Mars and Saturn should be visible with the naked eye.

Planet alignments aren't extremely rare, especially with two to four planets. They do occur several times each year. With five or more planets aligning, it is less common.

The last planetary alignment seen in the Northern Hemisphere was on April 8.

Catch a glimpse of the 'planet parade' in the sky

On June 3 and August 28, skywatchers will be treated to an alignment of six planets in the predawn sky.

Profiles of the six planets on parade

With eight planets in our solar system, they all have some very interesting traits. Here's a quick look at the planets aligning on June 3:

When will the planets align again?

Here's when StarWalk.space predicts the next six- and 7-planetary alignments will happen:

◾ June 3: Six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

◾ Aug. 28: Six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

◾ Jan. 18: Six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

◾ Feb. 28: Seven planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. (The last time all seven planets aligned was on April 8 during the total solar eclipse).

◾ Aug. 29, 2025: Six planets – Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

SOUCRE StarWalk.space, NASA, Astronomy.com and Paste BN research