An amazing phenomenon in the sky - 5 planets will form a parade

A planetary parade or alignment occurs when five planets align beneath the moon in late March 2023, creating a stunning visual.

In the evening of Tuesday, shortly after sunset, observers will be able to catch the best glimpse of the alignment - which includes Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus. According to Cameron Hummels, a computational astrophysicist at California Institute of Technology, much of the display will be visible on Friday and will continue to be visible for the next couple of weeks.

Many of these alignments are visible to the naked eye even in urban areas with significant light pollution. And they can be seen across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Under the crescent moon, you will be able to see the arrangement. To spot the display, Hummels suggested going out to a place with a good view of the western horizon just after sunset, when streaks of the colorful sunset are still visible and the sky is dark blue but not yet black. According to Hummels, northerners should look slightly southwest, while southerners should gaze northwest.)

The easiest planet to spot will be Venus, often referred to as the "evening star," since it is the brightest object in the night sky apart from the moon. Unless you're viewing from a prime location with no light pollution, it may be difficult to distinguish Uranus without binoculars or a telescope.

As seen in an artist's rendering, Jupiter and Venus are extremely close to one another. Jupiter and Mercury will hover just above the horizon beneath Venus and Uranus. As the sun's glare can obscure Mercury, it may be difficult to observe the planet without special equipment. But Hummels said they will be visible for about 20 to 30 minutes after sunset to careful observers.

The planetary parade will be topped off by Mars, sitting above Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and the moon. Its orange tint makes it easy to identify, says Hummels.

The planets will appear "like pearls on a necklace" across the night sky, Hummels said.

The alignment will cover just about 70 degrees of the sky. Hummels suggests using a thumb or closed fist to measure degrees in the sky. A fist at arm's length will cover about 10 degrees, and a thumb will cover about 1 degree.

In what sense does this mean?

It's possible to catch planets all together in a smaller patch of the sky every few years, but it's more rare. According to Hummels, planetary alignments should not be taken too seriously. In a way, it's like when your car's odometer shows a bunch of numbers - like 44,444. "It's cool and unusual, but it has no real meaning." This month, Jupiter and Venus appeared within half a degree of each other, among many fascinating celestial phenomena. An eclipse called a "ring of fire" will be seen on October 14, and a total solar eclipse will blot out the sun midday in April 2024.

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