What is the ‘Parade of Planets’ + where can you see it?
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If you have been notified recently on social media about an upcoming astronomical event known as the “Parade of Planets,” you may be expecting to see all of our planets aligned and visible from earth later this week.
According to NASA, that is not actually the case, but it is still a worthy event to observe.
What is the ‘Parade of Planets?’
If you believe what some of the social media posts say about the Parade of Planets, you would think you could see the rings of Saturn as clear as day, but you would be disappointed if that is what you’re expecting.
As well, you can see these planets at any point in the next several days, not just on Jan. 25.
Here’s what to really expect from the event:
- Four planets — Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars — can be seen with the naked eye in the first few hours after dark.
- Uranus and Neptune will be visible with use of binoculars or telescopes.
- Venus and Saturn will be visible in the southwest during the first couple of hours after dark.
- Jupiter will then appear overhead while Mars will rise in the east.
“These multi-planet viewing opportunities aren’t super rare, but they don’t happen every year, so it’s worth checking it out.”
Preston Dyches, NASA
The best spots in Alabama to star gaze are obviously away from big cities. In fact, according to Go-Astronomy.com, some of the best spots include:
- Cheaha Mountain State Prk
- Chattahoochie State Park
- Monte Sano State Park
- Moundville State Park
- Oak Mountain State Prk
- Geneva State Forest
- Paul Grist State Park
- Little River State Forest
It’s a good month for Mars
The Parade of Planets aside, according to NASA, Mars is directly opposite the Sun from Earth and shines brightly all night this month. It’s in the east as night falls and in the southwest at dawn.
“Mars reaches “opposition” this month, which is when the planet lies directly on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, forming a straight line. This is around the time when the planet is at its closest to Earth, making it appear at its biggest and brightest.
For Mars, oppositions happen about every two years. This one won’t be the most spectacular ever, but it’s still closer than average, and provides a great opportunity to observe the nearby planet where NASA has five missions currently operating.”
Preston Dyches, NASA
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