Until the beginning of July, those who muster up a little more courage and get out of bed very early will be able to observe five planets in our solar system with the naked eye.

Although these planets move away over time, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and even Mercury can be viewed from space with little or no aid from observing equipment until mid-September.

Last Thursday morning (23) the meeting of the four planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn), visible to the naked eye, was accompanied by a crescent.

According to Sky & Telescope:

“All five bright planets are spread out in order of distance from the Sun in the sky from dawn to early July. One of the most beautiful mornings to see them will be June 24th when the impressive crescent will join the crew. You can start earlier – 60-90 minutes before sunrise – to identify Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. To add Venus and Mercury clinging to the sunlight, you need to look closer to sunrise. As the moon passes, we will see successive connections or impulses. The moon will appear near Jupiter on June 21; Mars June 22, Venus June 26 and Mercury June 27.”

The planets will be located away from the Sun, starting with Mercury and ending with Saturn. The last time such an event took place was in December 2004, but this spectacle could only be seen in certain tropical areas. If you miss this natural performance this time, you will have to wait until March 2041 for a new opportunity.

manager Astronomy and Telescope Laboratory, Harvard University Science CenterAllison Birila, told Boston Globe that all planets will be visible to the naked eye. “These objects are much brighter than stars, so it should be obvious even to a novice observer.”

“If you have binoculars or a telescope, aim them at the planets and the moon. Even with a small telescope or binoculars on a tripod, you can see Jupiter’s 4 largest moons (called the Galilean moons) and Saturn’s rings. If you are in a dark enough place with a small telescope, you can also see atmospheric bands in Jupiter’s atmosphere!“Berila said.

It will be possible to enjoy this show in space until the beginning of July. And while having the right location and not being disturbed by my artificial lighting makes this show a lot of fun to watch, Bjerila adds: ‘As with all sightings, the best conditions are clear and dark skies, but luckily these are all bright objects with the naked eye, so you can see the track directly from the city!‘

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Via: Boston Globe