This weekend five planets will be visible in predawn skies. Sky watchers have the chance to see rare alignments of Mercury, Venus Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Jupiter with their naked eyes.
The five planets will be visible strung across the eastern sky before dawn on Friday, and continuing through the month. The planets will appear in a parade in accordance with their distance from the sun. Mercury will be closest to the star and Saturn the farthest.
Sky watchers in Northern Hemisphere need to be outside 30 minutes before sunrise. They should choose a spot that has unobstructed views of both the eastern and southeast horizons.
These same five planets can be seen before sunrise in the Southern Hemisphere. However, stargazers should choose a spot with clear views of the eastern or northeastern horizon.
Clear conditions should allow the planets to be visible with the naked eye. Mercury, however, will be most difficult to spot without binoculars, as it is the dimmest of the month.
According to Sky & Telescope (a publication of the American Astronomical Society), Mercury will appear brighter and higher in the sky later in the month. This will make it easier to see.
Sky watchers will also be treated with a surprise treat later in the month. On June 24, the crescent Moon will appear between Venus and Mars, sneaking into the predawn lineup.
It’s not uncommon to see two planets close together in the nightsky — a celestial phenomenon called a conjunction — but it’s rare for a planetary quint to align in their natural order. Sky & Telescope reports that five of the planets were last aligned in this manner in December 2004.
The party will end after June.