Do you want to make this season even more memorable? How about going out and looking at the clear night sky? From now until the end of the year, you can see seven planets lined up. While Uranus and Neptune will require a telescope for viewing, the remainder of the planets can be seen with the naked eye [1]. On Christmas Eve, December 24, the moon will join the planet lineup.
Where To Look
Looking towards the southwest, you can see Venus alongside Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. Mercury will be the most difficult to distinguish as it will appear in a bright part of the sky. You may want binoculars to see Mercury and Venus better. As long as you have the binoculars handy, you can use them to see Uranus, which is between Mars and Jupiter. Then keep them handy to view Neptune, which is between Saturn and Jupiter.
Frequency
Although one may wonder how frequently the lining of several planets happens, it happens every two years. This past June, several planets did align in the sky. Notwithstanding, Uranus and Jupiter were not in alignment with the other planets, but they could be seen with binoculars.
So if you have family and friends over and want to do something different, try going out after sunset (which is early this time of year) and look for the planets. Even without binoculars, the lining of several planets proves to be a treat.
Notes:
- ^https://www.newsweek.com/all-planets-solar-system-aligned-1768878 (go back ↩)
