by The rare alignment of five naked-eye planets will begin to “break apart” as they appear to grow farther and farther apart in the morning sky.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn came together in the pre-dawn sky from the southeast of this month, offering a special treat for skywatchers. The five planets appear to form an arc in the sky, all in a row, with Mercury very close to the horizon. This is the first time since December 2004 that the five planets appear together above the horizon.
While we’ve been able to see Saturn, Mars, Jupiter and Venus in the morning sky for the past couple of months, Mercury was a recent addition to the rare planetary alignment in June. The tiny planet appeared alongside the quartet on June 3 – just peeking briefly above the horizon before the glow of the rising sun made it difficult to see.
Related: The Brightest Planets in the June Night Sky: How to See Them (and When)
However, from June 10th, Mercury will become easier to spot in the morning sky. The planet will reach its greatest elongation, or farthest point from sunrise, on June 16, meaning it will be even brighter as the month progresses, according to EarthSky.org. (opens in new tab).
The five worlds appear to line up because they travel in the plane of the solar system, known as the ecliptic. The planets are aligned in order of distance from the sun, with Mercury, closest to the sun, appearing lowest on the horizon, and furthest, Saturn, highest in the sky. To viewers on Earth, the planets all appear close together, but these worlds are actually millions of miles or kilometers apart.
Unfortunately, this spectacular planetary alignment won’t be visible for long. Starting in June, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter and Venus – which we’ve been able to see in the morning sky for the past few months – will appear further and further away from each other.
In the coming months, the planets will spread across the morning sky “so much so that Venus and Saturn will make their exits as morning objects for most observers by September,” according to NASA’s June Skywatching guide. (opens in new tab).
If you’re looking for a new telescope or binoculars to see planets in the night sky, check out our guide to the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals now. Check out our best astrophotography cameras and best astrophotography lenses to prepare your gear for the next view of the planet.
Editor’s Note: If you take a photo of the planetary alignment and would like to share it with Space.com readers, please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
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