NEW YORK (AP) — Six planets grace the sky this month in what’s known as a planetary parade, and most can be seen with the naked eye.
These planetary hangouts happen when several planets appear to line up in the night sky at once.
“They’re not in a straight line, but they’re pretty close together on one side of the sun,” said Hannah Sparkes, planetarium supervisor at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Florida.
The astronomical linkup is fairly common and can happen at least every year depending on the number of planets. A similar parade took place last June, but only two planets could be seen without any special equipment.
Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are visible to the naked eye this month and for part of February. Uranus and Neptune can be spotted with binoculars and telescopes.
During this latest spectacle, Mars shines especially bright because it’s located directly opposite the sun. And on Friday and Saturday night, skygazers will see Venus and Saturn snuggle up extra close — just two degrees apart.
