The Stars Align (Seriously)

If you’ve been waiting for the stars to align, you’re in luck!

Well, it’s actually the planets that have aligned, but no matter. All five bright planets will appear together in the morning sky from about January 20 to February 20, 2016.  Keep in mind – you’ll need to be up early (as in, before dawn) to catch this show.

In their outward order from the sun, the five bright planets are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The last time that all five visible planets appeared in the same sky together was over 10 years ago (December 2014)

By bright or visible planet, we mean any planet in our own solar system that’s easily viewed without an optical aid and that has been watched by our ancestors since time immemorial. These planets are easily seen in our sky because their disks reflect sunlight, and these relatively nearby worlds tend to shine with a steadier light than the distant, twinkling stars.

Let the Moon Guide You…

Moreover, you can use the moon to help guide you to this showcase of planets from January 27 to February 6. The charts below are for mid-northern North American latitudes, although these planets can be seen in the morning sky from anywhere around the world.

Source: EarthSky

Photo credit: Predrag Agatonovic