Planets align in ‘planet parade;’ how you can see it

A planet parade will be happening high above the earth. But there is a debate on whether it is as special as you may be seeing on social media.

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According to EarthSky, there will be six planets visible in the evening sky this month. And yes, they will be in a line from our point of view because they always are.

But Wired said an alignment of five or more planets is rare, and won’t happen again until 2040.

It also isn’t just one single day – Jan. 25 – it will be happening until February.

So what will you see?

Four planets will be bright while two others will be faint and they will more or less be in a line.

It is because the solar system is arranged on a line across the sky called the ecliptic, NASA said.

One thing that isn’t being debated is which planets you can see. EarthSky, BBC Sky at Night and Wired agree on this point.

You’ll be able to pinpoint Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars without much help and probably with just your eyes. To see the other two – Neptune and Uranus – you need either binoculars or even better, a telescope, and know where and when to look.

Venus will be the brightest and easiest to see. Then Saturn will be between Venus and the horizon, but as we get closer to February it will be more difficult to see. Jupiter will be higher in the sky than the previous two planets then finally Mars.

EarthSky said Mars is having the best viewing in two years.

As for Neptune and Uranus, once you find the other planets, they will be visible on the same line.

For Uranus, you will need a dark sky, and look towards Jupiter and try to find the Pleiades. Uranus is near that star cluster. For Neptune, it is the dimmest, but if you look near Venus and Saturn, you may be able to see it between the two.

As for when you will be able to see the planets the best, Wired suggests using a website such as Time and Date to get the best viewing times.

You will want to go out before the peak time to allow your eyes to adjust, Wired suggested. You’ll also want to be in a place as far away as possible from artificial light. Finally to see Uranus and Neptune, don’t forget to pack the binoculars or telescope.