FIVE planets are aligning for the first space phenomenon:
A breathtaking glimpse of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn as they align in planetary order will be possible on June 24 thanks to a rare, five-planet alignment.
According to Diana Hannikainen, observing editor of Sky & Telescope, the event started at the beginning of June and has gotten brighter and simpler to spot as the month has gone on.
On Friday, another celestial object will join the celebration between Venus and Mars: a waning crescent moon. The moon will stand in for the Earth’s relative location in the alignment, which indicates the position of our planet in the planetary hierarchy.
According to Sky & Telescope, this unusual event won’t happen this year since Mercury and Saturn are closer together than they were in 2004.
How You can View the alignment
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To see the amazing phenomena, observers will require a clean view of the eastern horizon, according to Hannikainen.
The planetary spectacle can be seen by people without glasses, but for the best viewing, she suggested using binoculars.
She claimed that the hour before sunrise is the optimum time to see the five planets. Check when the sun will rise in your location the night before you intend to see the alignment.
Hannikainen and other astronomers are particularly looking forward to the celestial event.
To have the best view of the alignment, she flew from her house west of Boston to a beach hamlet along the Atlantic Ocean.
In the hopes that it will be clear, Hannikainen stated, “I’ll be out there with my binoculars, looking towards the east and southeast.”
People all across the world will be able to see the action, so you don’t need to go to see it.
While people in the Southern Hemisphere should look along the eastern to northeastern horizon, stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere can see the planets from the eastern to southeastern horizon.
The only prerequisite is a clear sky in the alignment’s direction.
The moon will have continued its circle of the Earth by the following day, pulling the planets out of alignment, she claimed.
According to Sky & Telescope, the next five-planet alignment will take place in 2040 if you miss the current one.
According to The Old Farmers’ Almanac, there will be seven more full moons in 2022:
- August 11: Sturgeon moon
- September 10: Harvest moon
- October 9: Hunter’s moon
- November 8: Beaver moon
- December 7: Cold moon
These are the names given to the monthly full moons that have gained popularity, however different Native American tribes may have different interpretations of what each one means.
eclipses of the moon and sun
The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts that there will be one more total lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse in 2022.
When the moon moves in front of the sun but only partially blocks some of its light, a partial solar eclipse occurs.
To view solar eclipses safely, make sure to put on the appropriate eclipse glasses because the sun’s brightness can harm the eyes.
People in Greenland, Iceland, Europe, northeastern Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, India, and western China will be able to see a partial solar eclipse on October 25.
No one in North America will be able to see either of the partial solar eclipses.
On November 8 between 3:01 a.m. ET and 8:58 a.m. ET, a total lunar eclipse will also be visible for those in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, South America, and North America; however, for people in eastern parts of North America, the moon will be setting.
Meteor showers
Check out the remaining 11 showers that will peak in 2022:
- Southern delta Aquariids: July 29 to 30
- Alpha Capricornids: July 30 to 31
- Perseids: August 11 to 12
- Orionids: October 20 to 21
- Southern Taurids: November 4 to 5
- Northern Taurids: November 11 to 12
- Leonids: November 17 to 18
- Geminids: December 13 to 14
- Ursids: December 21 to 22
If you reside in a city, you might want to take a drive to a location free of city lights for the finest view.
Find a space that is open and has a good view of the sky. So that you can gaze directly upward, make sure you have a chair or blanket.
Give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to acclimatize to the darkness without looking at your phone or other devices so that you can see the meteors more easily.
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