At sunrise this morning five planets will align along the horizon in the southeastern sky. It is the first time in 18 years the five have been visible together like this.
Weather permitting, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be visible during the early morning hours before sunrise and through the rest of June. The optimum time to see this alignment is during the hour before sunrise.
No equipment is required, you can view this rare spectacle with the naked eye, although binoculars or even a telescope will improve your experience.
For the best chance of seeing the five, choose a spot with a clear view on the east and southeast horizon and in an area with as little artificial light pollution as possible.
Two or three planets strung across the sky is fairly common, but getting five planets aligned is rare, reports Fox News. What makes this event even more unique is the planets are visible in their natural order from the sun. This hasn’t happened since December 2004 and the planets won’t appear in this order again until 2040!
