This month, six planets of our solar system – Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn – will appear in Earth's sky in a "parade of planets".
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Although the dark hours of January 21st and 25th may be good times to see them, as various media outlets have reported, this spectacle will not be limited to one or two nights. It will be possible to see the parade of planets on any clear night in January. And in fact, an even greater opportunity will be given to us in the coming months, when another planet will join the "parade".
January 21 is a good time to see the planetary arc because that's when the moon reaches its last quarter phase, when the half-lit orb rises around midnight. This paves the way for dark afternoon skies, although light pollution won't hinder the view of the bright planets.
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On January 21, it will be possible to see Saturn and Venus close together in the west, with Jupiter shining in the south and Mars in the east. Uranus will be just to the right of Jupiter, while Neptune will be just above Venus. To see Uranus and Neptune, however, you will need a powerful home telescope.
The result will be impressive – but an even better view may be offered by the first week of March, when Mercury will join the parade of planets.
As Mercury approaches its greatest eastern elongation on March 8, the tiny inner planet will be between Saturn and Venus near the western horizon. We'll also be able to see a thin crescent moon just above the trio. Neptune, though invisible to the naked eye, will be next to Mercury. Above will be Uranus (visible only with a telescope), Jupiter, and Mars.
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However, the parade will come to an end, with Saturn sinking into the glare of the sun. It will be in solar conjunction on March 12, effectively ending any possibility of the planetary parade.
Source: livescience
