Bypass the usual morning routines and head outside before sunrise on June 3rd, 2024 for an out-of-this-world sight you won't want to miss. Astronomers are advising skywatchers to look east just as night meets day for a unique and memorable cosmic event – a planet parade. On this date, a rare celestial alignment will see six planets appear to march across the sky in a straight line visible to the unaided eye.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will all be in the same region of the sky, passing each other along a narrow degree of the ecliptic – the path the Sun appears to follow across the heavens. While the planets won't literally be touching or perfectly lined up, their proximity will create an illusion of order in the typically arbitrary night sky. Some planetary observers may even catch a fleeting glimpse of diminutive Mercury with optics.
This phenomenon happens every couple of decades as the planets complete their elliptical orbits around the Sun at different paces. The last time all seven planets were visible together was in 2004 and won't occur again until 2040. It's an inspiring display of the intrinsic choreography that keeps our Solar System functioning. Catching sight of so many celestial bodies parading together without preconceptions of scale or distance brings perspective to our place in the cosmos.
With clear early mornings, the parade will be visible worldwide for around a week centered on June 3rd. Look east just before sunrise for the best vantage point. Binoculars or telescopes will enhance the experience by distinguishing planetary discs from stars. Mark your calendars for this once in a lifetime opportunity to witness order in the heavens.
