Astronomy enthusiasts have reason to look to the sky these days. Why? Because of a spectacular event, which doesn’t happen very often. To be more precise, it is something that happens only once every 18 years. What is this event about? An unusual planetary alignment, which will be quite visible this month.
This will happen during this month of June. What happens is that it will be possible to admire with the naked eye the alignment of five planets in the sky. What are these planets? They are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
Neighboring planets
These planets are Earth’s closest neighbors. And to observe them you won’t need a telescope or binoculars this time. However, it will be necessary to get up half an hour before sunrise. And of course, it would help to have a clear sky.
The truth is that the quality of the observation will be better in rural locations. These usually have darker skies that favor the view. The show can be enjoyed without any problem from the cities.
Of the group of five planets, Mercury is usually the most difficult to appreciate due to its closeness to the sun. It will progressively move away from the sun this June, which will make it easier to observe.
The best day
According to experts, the best day to see this conjunction will occur next June 24. What will happen on that day? Mercury will be farthest from the sun and will be visible even one hour before sunrise.
Additionally, on June 23 the Moon will be located in the sky between Venus and Mars. Just in the place that would correspond to the Earth. Therefore, it will be possible to admire six celestial bodies aligned in the sky.
An unusual planetary alignment will take the sky. The last time it happened was in December 2004. It will happen again in 2040, so you’d better not let this opportunity slip away.
