Have you ever really viewed the solar system with your own eyes? We are all used to seeing textbook images of the eight planets lined up in a row, starting with Mercury and ending with Neptune (or Pluto, which was dethroned as a planet in 2009), but very rarely do we see a line of planets in the night sky at the same time.
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Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, our Moon, and Earth together in pre-dawn light overlooking a rugged stretch of the Nova Scotia coast. Long exposure with light painting.
That is what happens this week when the five planets visible to the naked eye: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn appear simultaneously.
Although you’ve probably seen Venus or Jupiter before, this is a great opportunity to see a few planets at the same time.
Related: More space travel and astronomy news
When and how to see five planets in the night sky
It’s going to take a little effort because only those willing to get up early – Really early: Sunday July 19, 2020 we will see the planets. You won’t need a telescope unless you want a close-up of each one.
How to find Jupiter, Saturn and Mars
Approximately two hours before sunrise, you will see Jupiter sinking into the southwestern sky with Saturn, the ringed planet, just above right. Draw a curved line that crosses both planets and reaches the southern sky, and you will reach Mars, the red planet, well above the southeast horizon.
How to find Venus and Mercury
Mars is on top of the ecliptic – the line we always see planets orbiting along – so plot your curve to the horizon in the northeast. Before you get there, you can easily see the superbright planet Venus. It is one of the brightest objects in the night sky. Mercury is always difficult to see, and you have to be right; it will rise in the northeast 45 minutes before sunrise as seen from New York City. You’re looking for a little red dot, and it will help if you have a pair of binoculars. Hopefully you can even see it accompanied by a very thin crescent moon just to your left.
Why you should use binoculars
Although you don’t need binoculars to see all four bright planets, you probably need them to see Mercury. For a truly special view, place any pair of binoculars on Jupiter, and you will be able to see some of its four largest moons, Europe, Ganymede, Io, and Callisto.
How to see the eight planets in the night sky
Do you want an extra planet? Look around you, that’s Earth! The sight of six planets with the naked eye along with the advantage of a super thin crescent moon will be something special, but is it possible to see all the planets in the Solar System? Sadly, you will never be able to see all eight planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune – in the night sky at the same time. Uranus and Neptune are not very visible to the naked eye, so they require a telescope.
The ‘Great Conjunction’ of 2040
However, there will be a “Great Conjunction” or “Golden Conjunction” on September 8, 2040, when Mars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter will be visible in the same little patch of the night sky just 10 degrees away.
Related: 2020 will be an amazing year for stargazing – here’s everything to look forward to
December ‘Great Solstice Conjunction’
Although it only involves two of the planets, the “Great Solstice Conjunction” on December 21, 2020, the night of the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, is about the giants of the Solar System. The two largest planets in the Solar System by far Jupiter and Saturn will pass just 0.06º from each other and will be visible glowing almost like one after sunset in the west. This “Great Conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn actually occurs every 19.6 years, but the December conjunction will be the closest since 1623!
Video: Five planets will be visible in the sky this week – Here’s how to see them (Travel + Leisure)
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