Five planets will line up Tuesday evening, March 28 near the moon in a ‘planetary parade’. And most should be visible Wednesday evening as well.
Here’s how to see the parade – CNN
7:10 PM
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 (EDT)
Sunset in Fishers Island, NY
Catch the best glimpse of the alignment — which will include Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus — on Tuesday evening, March 28, just after sunset according to Cameron Hummels, a computational astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology.
The arrangement will be visible just underneath the crescent moon. To spot the display, Hummels recommended heading out to a place with a good view of the western horizon just after sunset, when streaks of the colorful sunset still remain and the sky has turned dark blue but not yet black.
The easiest planet to spot will be Venus, often referred to as the “evening star,” because it’s the brightest object in the night sky apart from the moon. Uranus will appear close to Venus, though it may be difficult to pick out the distant planet without binoculars or a telescope unless you’re viewing from a prime location with no light pollution.
Beneath Venus and Uranus will be Jupiter and Mercury, hovering just above the horizon. Mercury may also be difficult to catch without special equipment, as the sun’s glare can blot out the planet. But to careful observers, both planets will be visible for about 20 to 30 minutes after sunset, Hummels said.
Topping off the planetary parade will be Mars, sitting in a straight line up from Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and the moon. It’s easy to pick out because of its signature orange tint, Hummels added.
The planets will all appear “kind of like pearls on a necklace” across the night sky, Hummels said.
