Look Up For January's 'Parade Of Planets'
Stargazers are in for a treat the next few weeks as a parade of planets marches across the night sky.
The January planetary alignment includes Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus all visible to the naked eye at the same time. Neptune and Uranus will be there, too, but they won't be shining brightly like the others.
Planets, including Earth, orbit around the sun in a line called the ecliptic. But what we see in the night sky changes as we move through space. "These multi-planet viewing opportunities aren’t super rare, but they don’t happen every year, so it’s worth checking it out," according to NASA's January night sky notes.
The best viewing for January's planetary parade is about 90 minutes after sunset, in as dark and clear a spot as you can find. Use binoculars or a telescope for an even better look.
The alignment will be visible into February.
An illustration shows Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus in a dark, starry sky.
The night sky changes with the seasons. In winter, cold air holds less moisture, which can make for clearer viewing.
"When the sky is still, the jet stream isn't there, when the temperatures as you go from ground level to higher and higher, don't vary too much ... All of these things align to make quiet skies that make it easier to see," Gay said. "So, while there is a certain degree of suffering that occurs to those of us that go out and stand next to our telescopes in the cold winter, the images really make it worth it."
Just make sure to dress appropriately for the weather, and never let cold, metal equipment come in contact with your bare skin.
We'll see another planetary alignment in February.
An illustration shows Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury and Saturn in a dark, starry sky.
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Weather.com staff writer Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.
