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This month, six planets in our solar system — Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, and Saturn — will all be visible in Earth’s skies.
The best time to view what NASA has dubbed a parade of planets is said to be during the night of 21 January.
Professor Jonti Horner, an astronomer at the University of Southern Queensland, said not to worry if you can’t spot the planets on that night
“If you can’t see it one night, don’t worry. The planets move slowly. If you miss one on a night, you’ll be able to spot it another time,” Horner told SBS News.
What will you be able to see?
Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus are visible to the naked eye, but you’ll need a telescope or binoculars to see Uranus and Neptune.
“I always recommend binoculars. They’re handy and portable. You can see a lot. But a telescope will see more of course,” Horner said.
“For instance, if you look at Jupiter, you will see its moons.”
However, Saturn’s rings will be elusive.
“This year, Saturn’s rings will be head-on, as the planet is experiencing a sort of equinox. So from our point of view, they disappear,” he said.
“But you’ll see Titan, the only known moon to have an atmosphere denser than Earth.”
You may be able to catch the planetary parade for about a month although some planets will become less visible over that time.
Tips to see the planets
Try and find a location with a clear view of the horizon and little light pollution — and you’ll want to be looking up soon after sunset if you want to catch Venus and Saturn.
“The key thing is that you want to be able to see the western horizon, and that’s because Venus is part of this parade and Saturn is very close to Venus right now,” Dr Rebecca Allan, co-director of Swinburne University’s Space Technology and Industry Institute, told the ABC.
“And as the sun sets, because Venus is close to the sun, that mean Venus will set not long after.”
Jupiter can be spotted near the Pleiades (or ‘seven sisters’) star cluster, which could be found by finding the Orion constellation — commonly known as “the saucepan” — and looking up, Allan said.
“And then further to the east you’ll have Mars near Castor and Pollux (also known as the Gemini twins),” she said.
Neptune and Uranus are located between Venus and Jupiter, but they’re much dimmer and not visible to the naked eye.
A sky map or stargazing phone app can also assist in spotting the planets.
