Four planets will line up in the sky this month

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Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#1 Post by PHXPhlyer » Sun Apr 17, 2022 6:22 pm

Four planets will line up in the sky this month
Here’s how to spot them.
Looking east at a flat horizon, Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn will appear “strung out in a line across the morning sky,” according to NASA.


https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/f ... -rcna24424

Skywatchers are in for a cosmic treat this month: a rare alignment of four planets in the predawn sky.

Beginning around Sunday morning, stargazers will be able to see Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn appear in a straight line across the southeastern sky before sunrise. The midmonth alignment is a relatively unusual opportunity for people to see multiple planets in the sky with the naked eye — and it's a prelude to an even rarer planetary alignment that will happen this summer.

To see the planetary quartet, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere should head outside about an hour before the sun comes up and gaze southeast, in the direction of the sunrise.

Looking east at a flat horizon, Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn will appear "strung out in a line across the morning sky," according to NASA. If conditions are clear, all four planets will be bright enough to see with the naked eye, without the aid of binoculars or telescopes.


The same alignment is viewable before sunrise in the Southern Hemisphere. There, the sun's path in the sky is at a steeper angle to the horizon, compared to in the Northern Hemisphere, which means the string of planets will unfurl higher above the sunrise point.

In both cases, Jupiter will be the second-brightest planet in the celestial gathering but will appear lowest on the horizon, which could make it tricky to spot. That will change as the month goes on, according to NASA.

"Heading into the last week of April, Jupiter will be high enough above the horizon in the hour before sunrise to make it more easily observed," the space agency said in its monthly roundup of skywatching tips.

Though this month's skywatching event makes it look like the planets form a neat line in space, it's actually just a matter of perspective. Each planet in the solar system circles the sun on the same flat plane, which means that as they occasionally swing past each other in their orbits, they appear to form a straight line in Earth's skies. This tidy positioning, however, would look very different from any other vantage point in space.

The planets will be viewable in the predawn sky all month, and April's alignment will set the stage for an even more spectacular skywatching event this summer.

From late June to early July, five planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn — will be visible in the sky before sunrise in a major alignment that only occurs every few years.

PP

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#2 Post by Karearea » Sun Apr 17, 2022 6:33 pm

... From late June to early July, five planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn — will be visible
A sixth planet would be visible as well...
And with the morn, those angel faces smile...

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#3 Post by llondel » Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:59 pm

Karearea wrote:
Sun Apr 17, 2022 6:33 pm
... From late June to early July, five planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn — will be visible
A sixth planet would be visible as well...
Only if you look down.

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#4 Post by Boac » Tue Apr 19, 2022 8:14 pm

Uranus?

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#5 Post by llondel » Wed Apr 20, 2022 1:29 am

Boac wrote:
Tue Apr 19, 2022 8:14 pm
Uranus?
Not sure I'm flexible enough for that one.

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#6 Post by Boac » Wed Apr 20, 2022 7:05 am

Does this help?
headuparse.jpg
headuparse.jpg (5.88 KiB) Viewed 569 times

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#7 Post by PHXPhlyer » Thu Jun 02, 2022 11:59 pm

Add a fifth planet to the line-up.

A rare, 5-planet alignment will take over the sky this month


https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/02/world/fi ... index.html

Don’t forget to look up this weekend to see the start of a rare, five-planet alignment grace the night sky.

Beginning in the early morning hours of Friday, June 3, the five planets of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will align in planetary order.

This rare phenomenon has not occurred since December 2004, and this year, the distance between Mercury and Saturn will be smaller, according to Sky & Telescope.

Stargazers will need to have their binoculars handy along with a clear view of the eastern horizon to spot Mercury near the start of the month, the space magazine said. As June progresses, Mercury will become brighter and easier to see, according to Diana Hannikainen, observing editor of Sky & Telescope.

The rest of the planets should be consistently visible to the naked eye, she added.

The best time to view the five planets is in the 30 minutes before sunrise, she said. The night before you plan to view the alignment, check when the sun will rise in your area.

Some stargazers are especially excited for the celestial event, including Hannikainen. She flew from her home west of Boston to a beachside town along the Atlantic Ocean to secure an optimal view of the alignment.

“I’ll be out there with my binoculars, looking towards the east and southeast and crossing all my fingers and toes that it is going to be clear,” Hannikainen said.

You don’t have to travel to catch a glimpse of the action because it will be visible to people around the globe.

Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere can see the planets from the eastern to southeastern horizon while those in the Southern Hemisphere should look along the eastern to northeastern horizon. The only requirement is a clear sky in the direction of the alignment.

If you wake up and the weather blocks the sky, don’t worry, Hannikainen said.

“Just keep looking throughout the month of June and as soon as you have a clear morning, go out and enjoy that view,” she said.

The moon joins the party
In addition to the five planets, the waning crescent moon will also be in alignment between Venus and Mars on June 24.


Unlike on the days leading up to it, this special celestial alignment can be viewed in the hour before sunrise, Hannikainen said.

By the next day, the moon will have continued its orbit around the Earth, moving it out of alignment with the planets, she said.

If you miss the five-planet alignment in sequential order, the next one will happen in 2040, according to Sky & Telescope.

There will be seven more full moons in 2022, according to The Old Farmers’ Almanac:

June 14: Strawberry moon
July 13: Buck moon
August 11: Sturgeon moon
September 10: Harvest moon
October 9: Hunter’s moon
November 8: Beaver moon
December 7: Cold moon
These are the popularized names associated with the monthly full moons, but the significance of each one may vary across Native American tribes.

Lunar and solar eclipses
There will be one more total lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse in 2022, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.


A beginner's guide to stargazing (CNN Underscored)
Partial solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in front of the sun but only blocks some of its light. Be sure to wear proper eclipse glasses to safely view solar eclipses, as the sun’s light can be damaging to the eye.

A partial solar eclipse on October 25 will be visible to those in Greenland, Iceland, Europe, northeastern Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, India and western China. Neither of the partial solar eclipses will be visible from North America.

A total lunar eclipse will also be on display for those in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, South America and North America on November 8 between 3:01 a.m. ET and 8:58 a.m. ET – but the moon will be setting for those in eastern regions of North America.

Meteor showers
Check out the remaining 11 showers that will peak in 2022:

Southern delta Aquariids: July 29 to 30
Alpha Capricornids: July 30 to 31
Perseids: August 11 to 12
Orionids: October 20 to 21
Southern Taurids: November 4 to 5
Northern Taurids: November 11 to 12
Leonids: November 17 to 18
Geminids: December 13 to 14
Ursids: December 21 to 22
If you live in an urban area, you may want to drive to a place that isn’t littered with city lights to get the best view.

Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look straight up. And give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes – without looking at your phone or other electronics – to adjust to the darkness so the meteors will be easier to spot.

PP

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#8 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sat Jun 04, 2022 4:48 am

My slightly lunatic, albeit mathematically very competent, business colleague, will no doubt see some mystical, come quasi-religious connotation to this interesting, but entirely empirically predictable astronomical co-incidence! It is strange how the wonders of the heavens hold the religious, the superstitious and the ignorant in their thrall when the universe is so magnificent in its own right without all the metaphysical mumbo jumbo!
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#9 Post by Pinky the pilot » Sat Jun 04, 2022 7:18 am

Boac; You 'orrible Man you!! [-X :D

What has been seen cannot be unseen!!! ~X(
You only live twice. Once when you're born. Once when you've looked death in the face.

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#10 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Sat Jun 04, 2022 9:26 am

Pinky the pilot wrote:
Sat Jun 04, 2022 7:18 am
Boac; You 'orrible Man you!! [-X :D

What has been seen cannot be unseen!!! ~X(
Aargh! =))
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#11 Post by Boac » Sat Jun 04, 2022 9:28 am

PS Take a torch........

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#12 Post by PHXPhlyer » Sat Jun 04, 2022 2:41 pm

We had a pilot at an early employer who flew around totally clueless of anyone else in the air (gaggle of planes doing air tours). ~X(
He was said to be "flying around with his head up his ass". [-X
How did he manage you ask? :-?
He had a HUAD. (Head Up Ass Device) :ymdevil: =))

PP

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#13 Post by PHXPhlyer » Thu Mar 23, 2023 5:22 pm

Make it 5!

5 planets will align on March 27 and you won't want to miss it. Here's where to look.

The moon and star cluster M35 will also be getting in on the action

https://www.space.com/5-planet-alignmen ... SmartBrief

On March 27, a planetary parade made up of Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Uranus will march across the sky.

At this particular time of the year, amateur astronomers are participating in the Messier Marathon. Originally conceived by the late comet hunter, Don Machholz, it takes place around the time of the new moon, and within a week or so of the Vernal Equinox.

It is during this particular time of year, that all 110 of the various deep sky objects cataloged by the French astronomer, Charles Messier, come into view. Those with telescopes and a good knowledge of the sky, will stay up from dusk to dawn, looking for and logging as many Messier objects as they can. Sometimes, there are organized marathons scheduled, such as at the recent International Star Party in Flagstaff, Arizona. Even for assiduous amateur astronomers, the Messier Marathon poses a significant observing challenge

A different type of challenge will be posed for sky gazers on the evening of March 27. Maybe we could echo the 1986 hit song by The Bangles, for that night will truly be a "Manic Monday" as there will be an opportunity to catch sight of five planets, a famous star cluster and the moon all in one evening.

But like the Messier Marathon bagging all of these objects is going to be a challenge, especially with some of the planets.

In fact, I would strongly suggest that you stake out an observing site with a clear and unobstructed view of the western horizon if you hope to see two of these distant worlds. Make sure you do not have any tall objects — buildings or trees — in that direction. Your best option is looking out over a westward-facing shoreline that is perfectly flat and wide open with nothing to block your view.

And also make sure to have a good pair of binoculars, as they will be extremely beneficial in your making a sighting. The best kind is either 7 x 35 or 7 x 50. The first number refers to magnification — in both cases, "7 power." The second number refers to the size of the objective lens — the large lens at the front of the binocular — measured in millimeters.

If you're hoping to catch a look at the planetary parade, our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars are a great place to start. If you're looking to snap photos of the night sky in general, check out our guide on how to photograph the moon, as well as our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.

Interestingly, our first two planets are studies in contrast. One is the smallest planet (Mercury) and the other is the largest (Jupiter).

Once you have found a proper viewing site, and with binoculars in hand, wait until approximately 20 to 25 minutes after the sun has set. And your viewing time is going to be short. Both planets will set beyond the horizon only 25 to 30 minutes later.

Both planets will be shining brilliantly, Mercury will glow at magnitude -1.4, which is just a trifle dimmer than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Jupiter will appear even more dazzling at magnitude -2.1, which is twice as bright as Mercury. But what will make a sighting problematic will be that both may be very difficult to see through the bright evening twilight.

And that's where your binoculars come in.

Your best chance to pick both planets up is initially to slowly sweep low along the western horizon with the binoculars; then after you hopefully have found them, seek them out with your naked eye. Mercury will be to the right of brighter Jupiter. On the evening of March 27, they will be separated by just 1.3 degrees (just over one-finger width at arm's length.)

If you sight them, congratulate yourself. It is no mean feat to catch two planets positioned so close to the setting sun. Within just a day or two, Jupiter will disappear from view into the glare of the sun. Mercury, on the other hand, will be moving away from the sun's vicinity and will become a bit easier to see during the next couple of weeks.

Evening Beacon
In contrast to Mercury and Jupiter, the third planet on our list will be very easy to see: dazzling Venus, the so-called "Evening Star" (although "Evening Beacon might be a better term). It's the first planet to look for when the sun goes down. Venus is becoming increasingly prominent as it slowly gets higher in our western evening sky with each passing night. Right now, it's setting around 10:15 p.m. local daylight time. But two months from now, Venus will be noticeably higher in the west-northwest sky about an hour after sunset, and not setting until close to midnight.

A planet racing away
The fourth planet on our list is Mars. Several months ago, Mars shone brilliantly because it was relatively close to Earth; back on Nov. 30 it was 50.6 million miles away from us and appeared like a very bright fiery hued star, shining with a steady glow. A week later, like two racing cars going around on a track, we passed Mars in our respective orbits — Earth on the inside and Mars on the outside. And ever since then, we've left Mars far behind — in our side view mirror, preverbally speaking.

On March 27, Mars will be 131.4 million miles (211.4 million km) from Earth — more than 2.5 times more distant than it was late last fall. It has correspondingly faded, appearing only 1/13th as bright compared to early in December. Yet it is still fairly conspicuous because it still ranks among the 21 brightest stars in terms of brightness.

And you can make an instant identification of it, by simply looking up at our fifth celestial object of the evening, the moon. On this night, our natural satellite will resemble a fat crescent phase. And if you look off to the moon's upper left, that bright yellow-orange "star" will be Mars.

Have a Life Saver!
Now, use the binoculars again, and look just off to the left of Mars and you'll catch sight of M35, a star cluster in the constellation of Gemini the Twins. It ranked fifth among my list of personal deep-sky favorites in the wintertime sky. Long-time deep-sky columnist for Sky & Telescope, Walter Scott Houston wrote:(opens in new tab) "I feel that M35 is one of the greatest objects in the heavens. Observers with small telescopes will find it a superb object. The cluster appears as big as the moon and fills the eyepiece with a glitter of bright stars from center to edge. With 15x65 binoculars it was like a fat Life Savers candy, all white and glistening."

Seventh planet from the sun
Our fifth and final planet is the next-to-last out from the sun: Uranus.

Barely visible to the unaided eye on very dark, clear nights, use Venus as a benchmark to find it. On Monday it will be just three degrees — roughly equal to one-third of the width of your clenched fist held at arm's length — to the upper left of that dazzling planet. Again, use your binoculars to scan this region of the sky. What you'll be looking for is a faint star, but the tipoff will be its pale greenish tint. That will be the third largest planet and next to the planet Neptune, the most distant planet from the sun.

There you have it: five planets, a famous star cluster and the moon. Think you'll be able to sight all seven? As we've noted, a few will be easy but others will be more difficult. If skies are clear Monday evening, good luck and good hunting!

PP

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Re: Four planets will line up in the sky this month

#14 Post by PHXPhlyer » Wed Mar 29, 2023 6:18 pm

Last night was nice and clear so went out and took a look at the line-up of planets.
All listed but Uranus were very visible as well as Sirius and Orion.
Might have to dig out binoculars or spotting scope and take a closer look tonight.

PP

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