observation of planets This is one of the most awe-inspiring ways to witness the magic of the night sky. And what better way to observe the night sky than with the alignment of the planets? This is a place where multiple planets are lined up next to each other.
On January 21, six planets will be visible in the sky simultaneously: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, and their alignment will be easily visible from nearly every corner of the planet. But if you missed your chance to see the night sky on January 21st, don’t worry. There’s plenty of time to watch this planet’s parade.
This array can be seen for about a month from mid-February to late February. However, this time the planet’s position changes so that its position on January 21st will not be the same as it was in late February.
Conjunctions of two planets are somewhat common, but alignments of five or more planets are extremely rare. Two more planetary alignments of five or more planets are scheduled for this year; It won’t happen until 2040.
Here’s everything you need to know to confirm this planetary alignment.
How to watch
For best vision, allow your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness. This planetary alignment is best viewed from a location far away from artificial light after the sun has set. This makes it difficult to see objects in the night sky.
Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and Venus appear in an arc from east to west. Four of these planets can be spotted with the naked eye. However, two of them (Uranus and Neptune) require either good binoculars or a backyard telescope. We’ve outlined below where to look for each planet in the night sky on the 21st. However, if you don’t know how to find it, don’t worry. Stellarium Helps you find planets and other celestial objects easily.
when to watch
Three of the planets (Venus, Saturn, and Neptune) set between approximately 9pm and 10:30pm local time, so the best time to view them is just after sunset. Note that the exact times each planet rises and sets will vary slightly depending on its location on Earth. You can use websites like time and date You can know the exact timing of your current location.
If possible, it’s best to start skywatching early in the evening. Venus, Saturn, and Neptune move lower toward the horizon before sunset, making them increasingly difficult to see as the evening progresses.
Mars
On January 21st, Mars will be directly below the constellation Gemini in the east. Mars has just reached opposition. That means the Earth is directly between Mars and the Sun. Therefore, the red planet will appear the largest and brightest and will be visible all night.
Mars is easily visible to the naked eye. But with a backyard telescope, you can probably see it. More than 600 miles of Arctic ice sheet,and Marineris Valleywhich runs along the Martian equator and is over 1,800 miles long, is the largest canyon in the solar system.
Jupiter
Jupiter is west of Mars in Taurus. Jupiter can be easily seen with the naked eye. However, with good binoculars, you can see Jupiter’s moons and possibly its cloud bands.
You can see this giant planet in even more detail with your backyard telescope. Look for Jupiter’s cloud bands and its spectacular red spot, or anticyclone. Over 10,000 miles wide—1.3 times the width of the Earth. The red spot is not always visible from Earth. The length of a day on Jupiter is approximately 10 hoursThis means that the storm spends a significant amount of time on many nights facing away from the Earth. can be used This calculator from Sky & Telescope Find out when you can see it from your location.
Jupiter is visible during most of the night. It will rise in the mid-to-late afternoon on January 21st and set between 3 and 5 a.m. on January 22nd, depending on your exact location.
Uranus
On the 21st, Uranus will be approximately 50 degrees west of Jupiter and slightly below Jupiter. Uranus seems to be nearby Pleiades star clustera bright star cluster visible to the naked eye.
Uranus is too dim to easily see with the naked eye, so you’ll need good binoculars or a backyard telescope to see it. Through such a device, Uranus appears as a pale blue star. Uranus has rings, but they are too dark to see even with observational equipment. However, if you have a powerful telescope in your backyard, you may be able to see the satellite.
