Next month, on June 3, there will be a rare planetary alignment that could allow you to see six planets align in the sky. This unusual astronomical event offers a chance to witness something unique in the night sky, even if you missed the recent Northern Lights display.
It is the best opportunity to see Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all at once in the sky due to the planetary alignment. The planets are expected to line up in the sky early Monday morning, June 3rd, 2024.
What is a planetary alignment?
According to Kate Pattle, a lecturer at University College London’s Physics & Astronomy Department, in conversation with Glamour UK, “A planetary alignment is an astronomical event that happens when, by coincidence, the orbits of several of the planets of the Solar System bring them to roughly the same side of the Sun at the same time.”
“This means that they appear in a line in the sky when we view them from the Earth. In this case, the planets Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune, and Saturn will form a line across the sky, in that order,” explains Kate.
As Kate points out, “planetary alignment” in this context refers to the planets aligning visually in the sky, or in a “planetary parade,” but it does not mean that they will be in true orbital alignment.
“It’s important to emphasize that the planets aren’t forming a straight line in space—that’s a much rarer astronomical event called a syzygy,” she says. “However, because all the planets – including the Earth – orbit around the Sun in roughly the same orientation (moving in what we call the “Plane of the Ecliptic”), when they’re on the same side of the Sun as each other, they appear to form a line in the sky when we view them from Earth.”
How to spot the planetary alignment?
To view the upcoming planetary alignment, which is most visible an hour before sunrise on June 3rd (and a few days before and after), head to a location with minimal light pollution and a clear view of the eastern horizon.
Jupiter, Mercury, and Uranus will be low in the sky, making binoculars essential for seeing all six planets, especially the faint Uranus, Neptune, and possibly Mercury. Jupiter will be the easiest to spot due to its brightness. Planets don’t twinkle like stars, which aids identification, but a night sky app like Sky Map, Star Chart, or Sky Tonight can help pinpoint them accurately.
Planetary alignments are relatively common, especially when two, three, or even four planets align in the sky. However, alignments of five or more planets are less frequent. April 8, 2024, was the last time the planets were all in alignment. In the USA, Canada, and Mexico, the planetary alignment was visible during the total solar eclipse.