Seven planets are now aligning in the night sky in a rare conjunction event; Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, and the Moon, which hasn’t occurred since 2004 and won’t happen again until 2040. And, they are visible in the order they are from the Sun!
The five brightest planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – will be easy to spot with the naked eye, but depending on your location you may only be able to see four as the rising Sun in Northern regions will likely obscure the low-hanging Mercury. Neptune and Uranus will require a telescope or binoculars to see. You’ll also have to get up early to see this alignment as the best viewing time is 30 minutes before sunrise.
June 24th will be one of the most spectacular days to see the conjunction, with the waning crescent Moon nestled between Venus and Mars. The waning Moon means it will be less bright, which will make the planets easier to see.
