Six planets are aligning this month. Here's the best time to see the 'planet parade'
Stargazers will be treated to a rare treat this month when six planets will "align" in the night sky for an eye-catching planet parade.
Planets always appear along a line known as the ecliptic, said NASA, so the "alignment" isn't necessarily special. What's truly unique is seeing four or five bright planets at once, which doesn't happen annually. During the planet parade, six planets will align with four of them being easily visible to the naked eye.
Have your telescope ready? Here's what to know about the upcoming parade.
Which planets will be in alignment during the planet parade?
Six planets will be in alignment during the planet parade: Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Saturn. Uranus and Neptune won't appear as "bright planets," so you'll need a telescope or high-powered binoculars to spot them.
In the first couple of hours after dark, Venus and Saturn will be in the southwest, Jupiter high overhead and Mars in the east, said NASA. Mars is in opposition through the entire month of January, meaning it will be directly opposite the Sun from Earth and will shine brightly all night.
When will the planet parade take place?
The planets will appear at their closest this weekend before going their separate ways.
According to Billy Teets, director of Vanderbilt University's Dyer Observatory, the best time to view the planet parade is based on a number of factors including a planet’s set time and how early the sun sets.
"I would say now through the next week, maybe two weeks, would be the best time, but the sooner you can observe it, the better since Neptune, Venus, and Saturn don’t stay up for a long time after sunset," Teets said in an email to the Nashville Tennessean, part of the Paste BN Network.
"Each day that passes also means that a planet is typically setting maybe a minute or two earlier," he said, "so if they are already close to the western horizon, time gets more precious with each passing day."
How to observe the planet parade?
To observe the alignment, find the sunset time for your specific location, said StarWalk, and start your observations at least an hour before it. Then locate a place with a dark sky, far from light pollution and with a clear view of the horizon.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X @_leyvadiana.