Mercury, Venus, Jupiter to form 5-night planet parade. When to look up
You won't want to miss the cosmic trio appearing together in the night sky. Here's how to see the planet parade across the US.
Eric Lagatta- The planetary alignment will be visible in the western sky after sunset from June 11 to June 15.
- While the term "planet parade" is not official, it refers to when multiple planets appear to line up in the sky.
- No telescope is needed to see the three planets, but a clear view of the horizon is recommended.
If you're an avid skygazer, you may have noticed two bright objects, Venus and Jupiter, shining in the night sky this week. Now, a third planet is due to join the cosmic fun.
That's right, Mercury is on its way to a sky near you, where it will turn a two-planet conjunction into a full-on planet parade.
These events aren't exactly rare, but they do tend to generate plenty of excitement when they happen. That's because, while at least one planet is typically visible to the naked eye from Earth, spotting multiple worlds in our solar system together is a notable occurrence.
You won't want to miss the show.
Here's everything to know about a planet parade, as well as when, how and where you can see the three planets for the next five nights.
When is the planet parade? Mercury to join Venus, Jupiter
Mercury, Venus and Jupiter are due to have a cosmic meetup colloquially known as a planet parade that should be visible between Thursday, June 11, and Monday, June 15, NASA said in a monthly skywatching guide.
Those who look up that night have not only a chance at seeing Venus – one of the brightest objects in the sky, after the sun – but the largest planet in our solar system: the gas giant Jupiter. While seeing Jupiter and Venus is not all that noteworthy, Mercury, which takes 88 days to orbit the sun, is an uncommon sight from Earth.
What is a planet parade?
While the term "planet parade" is not an official astronomy term, it is an unofficial way for astronomers and stargazers to refer to certain celestial events.
The planets in our solar system orbit the sun essentially along a line across the sky in a flat disc-shaped plane called the ecliptic.
Another term for a certain kind of planetary alignment, planet parades are what happens when planets line up along the ecliptic in a straight line and appear to us on Earth to be marching across the night sky, according to NASA. So, while planetary alignments themselves aren't special, it is notable to have an opportunity to observe multiple planets at once.
Planetary alignment follows Venus, Jupiter conjunction
Mercury is a little late to the party, as Venus and Jupiter have already been hanging out together since June 9 in a celestial event known as a conjunction.
A conjunction is an astronomical event in which at least two planets – and, often, also the moon – appear to our vantage from Earth to be close together in the sky even though they could still be millions or billions of miles apart.
How full will the moon be? What to know about lunar phase
During the second week of June, the moon will be entering a waning crescent phase before we have a new moon Sunday, June 14, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. That means Earth's only natural satellite is getting less and less full each night as its crescent gets thinner and thinner, NASA explains.
In other words, the moon is not a threat to outshine any of the three planets.
Where, how can you see conjunction, planet parade?
For those in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes the United States, spotting the planet parade shouldn't prove too difficult. Simply look west after sunset to see Mercury joining Venus and Jupiter in the night sky.
Because Mercury will sit lower toward the horizon, "you will need a clear view to the west to catch it in the glow of twilight," NASA said in a video.
To have the best chance of viewing the planetary alignment, find a spot free of light pollution and a view of the horizon without obstructions like trees or tall buildings.
Want to find a dark area near you? DarkSky International is a U.S nonprofit that maintains a list of designated dark sky communities around the world, including 176 in the United States.
Do you need a telescope to see planets form conjunction?
Mercury, Venus and Jupiter are among the five planets in our solar system visible without optical aid – along with Mars and Saturn.
Telescopes certainly will enhance the view but spectators don't need any equipment to spot the three planets in the pre-dawn sky.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected]