Five Different Planets Will Align In The Alaska Night Sky During An Incredibly Rare Display
There are some pretty spectacular celestial events, and this month, you can see five different planets will align in Alaska. Keep your head up to the night sky to see if you’re able to spot all five planets aligning in a row. This may be more visible in southern Alaska where the midnight sun isn’t as bright, but some reports have stated that the planets still shine brightly even during daylight hours.
The last time this event happened was in 2004. And beginning this Friday, during the month of June, you’ll have the chance to see it again!
The planets will appear to be in a row because of the way they travel on their plane of the solar system. They will be visible to the naked eye, although if you have a telescope or binoculars, it would be worth breaking those out.
You should also be able to see a sliver of a crescent moon in the path as well, between Venus and Mars. Even though these planets look like they’re close and in line, there are still millions of miles between them.
You’ll want to get set up facing south/south east, and you’ll want to check your time to calculate when the best time is to make sure you see Mercury, too. We love the Night Sky Map; it will let you know the best time to head out for the show!
But because June 21st is the summer solstice, and the sky won’t be dark, try from now through the end of the month to catch a good glimpse. Other days may offer a darker viewing opportunity.
Mercury is the hardest one to catch rising; you’ll have only about 30 minutes to see it before the sunlight may grow too bright.
This event happens so rarely that it’s worth trying to spot it during the dusky hours of summer twilight. If you get the chance to see it, it will blow you away!
Have you ever seen five different planets align in Alaska? What did you think? Was it absolutely breathtaking? Let us know in the comments below!
Our favorite summertime natural event? 24 hours of glorious daylight. Find out why There’s Nothing In The World Quite Like Alaska’s Midnight Sun.
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