5 planets align. But will you see them?
On June mornings, five planets line up starting near the horizon and stretching away from sunrise to the south. While the internet is starting to buzz about this planetary alignment, the truth is, the planets are always in a line. That’s because they orbit the sun in a plane we call the ecliptic. It’s just that sometimes they’re nearer to each other on the dome of our sky. And on June 17, 2023, you’ll have a chance to spot five planets just before sunrise. The only problem is, two of them require optical aid, and one will be awash in the bright glow of the rising sun.
Start looking about 45 minutes before sunrise. Observers in the Southern Hemisphere will have the advantage, because at this time of year the ecliptic stands perpendicular to the horizon. In the north, the ecliptic cuts a low line angling just above the horizon. So the south will have more time to search before the sun’s light starts to flood the sky.
Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Uranus and Neptune
First, spot bright Jupiter. It will be low in the east and the brightest point of light in this part of the sky. One down. That was easy! Next up is Saturn. Saturn is higher and farther south. Fortunately, right now it’s in the constellation Capricornus, which doesn’t hold any stars brighter than Saturn. Two stars down … now’s where it gets challenging.
Your third target is Mercury. You should also be able to spot it with the unaided eye, but you need an unobstructed horizon to the east-northeast. And while it’s currently brighter than Saturn, it’s a much more difficult target being lower in a sky that’s beginning to brighten with daylight. If you catch Mercury, congrats! Now it’s time to dig out the binoculars. And if you don’t catch Mercury, move on to the next two planets then come back to look for Mercury later with your binoculars.
Uranus is the fourth brightest of the five planets we’re targeting, but it has the disadvantage of also being close to the rising sun. It lies approximately halfway between Mercury and Jupiter. In good conditions, you might spot it as a greenish-blue dot or even a small disk. No luck? That’s okay, let’s move on to Neptune.
This one is the dimmest target but higher in the sky. It’s about two-thirds of the way from Jupiter to Saturn. Neptune currently lies in the constellation Pisces, below the circlet asterism. The eighth planet from the sun is hard to find even under the best circumstances. Generally, the best time to spot Neptune is when a bright planet gets close to it from our point of view. (Mark your calendar for April 29, 2024, to see Neptune near Mars!)
So how many planets did you spot? Anything more than two is remarkable. The planets will still be lined up in the coming mornings, but Mercury is drawing ever closer to the sun, which will make it even more challenging.
Share your photos
If you get a great photo of any of the morning planets, share it with us. We’d love to see it. Submit your photos to EarthSky Community Photos.
Bottom line: Five planets will align on June mornings. But only two of them are easy to see. Learn more about the planetary lineup here.
The post 5 planets align June mornings. But can you really see them? first appeared on EarthSky.
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/7RAwiE0
5 planets align. But will you see them?
On June mornings, five planets line up starting near the horizon and stretching away from sunrise to the south. While the internet is starting to buzz about this planetary alignment, the truth is, the planets are always in a line. That’s because they orbit the sun in a plane we call the ecliptic. It’s just that sometimes they’re nearer to each other on the dome of our sky. And on June 17, 2023, you’ll have a chance to spot five planets just before sunrise. The only problem is, two of them require optical aid, and one will be awash in the bright glow of the rising sun.
Start looking about 45 minutes before sunrise. Observers in the Southern Hemisphere will have the advantage, because at this time of year the ecliptic stands perpendicular to the horizon. In the north, the ecliptic cuts a low line angling just above the horizon. So the south will have more time to search before the sun’s light starts to flood the sky.
Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Uranus and Neptune
First, spot bright Jupiter. It will be low in the east and the brightest point of light in this part of the sky. One down. That was easy! Next up is Saturn. Saturn is higher and farther south. Fortunately, right now it’s in the constellation Capricornus, which doesn’t hold any stars brighter than Saturn. Two stars down … now’s where it gets challenging.
Your third target is Mercury. You should also be able to spot it with the unaided eye, but you need an unobstructed horizon to the east-northeast. And while it’s currently brighter than Saturn, it’s a much more difficult target being lower in a sky that’s beginning to brighten with daylight. If you catch Mercury, congrats! Now it’s time to dig out the binoculars. And if you don’t catch Mercury, move on to the next two planets then come back to look for Mercury later with your binoculars.
Uranus is the fourth brightest of the five planets we’re targeting, but it has the disadvantage of also being close to the rising sun. It lies approximately halfway between Mercury and Jupiter. In good conditions, you might spot it as a greenish-blue dot or even a small disk. No luck? That’s okay, let’s move on to Neptune.
This one is the dimmest target but higher in the sky. It’s about two-thirds of the way from Jupiter to Saturn. Neptune currently lies in the constellation Pisces, below the circlet asterism. The eighth planet from the sun is hard to find even under the best circumstances. Generally, the best time to spot Neptune is when a bright planet gets close to it from our point of view. (Mark your calendar for April 29, 2024, to see Neptune near Mars!)
So how many planets did you spot? Anything more than two is remarkable. The planets will still be lined up in the coming mornings, but Mercury is drawing ever closer to the sun, which will make it even more challenging.
Share your photos
If you get a great photo of any of the morning planets, share it with us. We’d love to see it. Submit your photos to EarthSky Community Photos.
Bottom line: Five planets will align on June mornings. But only two of them are easy to see. Learn more about the planetary lineup here.
The post 5 planets align June mornings. But can you really see them? first appeared on EarthSky.
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/7RAwiE0
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