5 Planets Are About to Line Up in The Sky, And You Don't Even Need a Telescope.

[elleng]

Sky watchers have something extra special to look forward to later in June, as all five of the planets that we can see with the naked eye – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn – are going to line up in the sky.

Not only that, but they're going to appear in order of their distance from the Sun, from left to right as you scan the horizon: that means starting with Mercury (an average of 58 million kilometers or 36 million miles from the Sun) and ending with Saturn (an average of 1.4 billion kilometers or 886 million miles from the Sun).

The not-to-be missed celestial show will be visible towards the eastern horizon just before the Sun rises and obscures the view. In the Northern Hemisphere, look towards the east and the south; in the Southern Hemisphere, look towards the east and the north.

While the arrangement should be visible throughout the month of June, note that on the mornings of June 3 and June 4, the separation between Mercury and Saturn will be at its smallest: a mere 91 degrees.

Another date to bear in mind is June 27. This will see the separation increase to 107 degrees, and the waning crescent Moon should show up between Venus and Mars (you could even think of it as a stand-in for Earth).

Mercury will be clearly visible on June 27 as well, making it easier for you to spot it before working your way to the right along the horizon. On this particular morning, the planetary show should be visible for about an hour.

https://www.sciencealert.com/all-five-naked-eye-planets-will-line-up-in-the-sky-this-month-in-distance-order?

[progree]

1. Well, I saw 4 of them this morning (all but Mercury). Minneapolis latitude 45 deg N.

the sky was already getting lighter -- deep dark blue, not black. And through a hole in some distant trees, I saw Venus, lit up like a blow torch, just above the straight east horizon.

The other 3 planets (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) were well above the horizon. Jupiter is also super-bright.

https://in-the-sky.org/skymap2.php

(get rid of that deep space junk with that checkbox below the sky map and on the left side -- nobody can see any of that stuff unless they live 50 miles from the nearest street lamp, so its just clutter)

[patphil]

2. So you're looking at Mercury and Venus on our side of the sun, and the others on the opposite side.

Essentially, the Sun is in that grouping also.
This is an immensely powerful combination. From and Astrological point of view, it portends major events in law, government, economy, love and sexuality, femininity, religion, war, communications, medicine...you name it, it's there.
We live in chaotic times and this year will be a focal point for just about everything.

The old Chinese curse comes to mind, "may you live in interesting times".

[packman]

3. I'll believe what you just said about focal point and interesting times

If I get to see Trump's tax return and American bans all firearms that kill children or my cat fetches my slippers on command

[usonian]

4. WAIT! There's even MORE.

I opened up SkySafari and look how many planets showed up.


Only one "missing" (spoiler alert: look down)