Posted in South Carolina Events March 23, 2023 by

Five Different Planets Will Align In The South Carolina Night Sky During An Incredibly Rare Display

Witnessing any celestial event in the Palmetto State is truly a magical experience. There are some events in the night sky that only occur once in a lifetime. Fortunately, seeing five planets visible in South Carolina occurs more often than that, but it is still a pretty rare experience. Mercury, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars will all be visible in the South Carolina night sky for just a few days at the end of March 2023. If you’re a fan of stargazing in South Carolina, this is one event you don’t want to miss! The five planets will only be visible for a few minutes each day from March 25 to March 30, 2023, so make sure to mark your calendars and set your alarms to remember to head outdoors.

This is such a fascinating celestial occurrence that is a relatively rare thing to witness. A "planetary parade" like this is known as a "conjunction" by astronomers.
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When we say that this is an incredibly rare display, we mean it, as the last time this occurred was in 2004!
Fernando de Gorocica/Wikimedia Commons
Wouldn't it be nice to see the planets this large with the naked eye? Unfortunately, they'll be a bit smaller when you peep them during the planetary parade this month, but most of them should be visible to the naked eye!
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It's fairly easy to distinguish the planets from the stars. Usually, the planets are much brighter and the light is more consistent than nearby stars, which twinkle and shine. Venus is actually the third-brightest object in the sky, after the sun and moon, so it's quite easy to spot.
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It's also worth noting that it's quite common to see two or even three of the planets visible in South Carolina in the night skies above us. But seeing five of them all lined up in a row is a bit of a rare occurrence.
Your best chance to catch all five planets in one night is before March 28 as Jupiter may fall below the horizon before the sun sets after that date.
Tom Gill/Flickr
Look for the crescent moon to see the red dot of Mars closest to the moon with the rest following an arc toward the horizon.

If you’d like to learn more, check out this informative video about the alignment:

Do you love stargazing in South Carolina? Have you ever seen a “planetary parade” before? This should be visible even to the naked eye, but if you have binoculars or a telescope, make sure to grab them. Remember, you can only spot this special event from March 25 to March 30, 2023.

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The OIYS Visitor Center

Stargazing In South Carolina

March 28, 2023
Lisa Sammons

Where are the best places for stargazing in South Carolina?

 

Even if you're not near a dark sky park in South Carolina, there are plenty of great places for observing the night sky. You just need to make sure you're far enough away from city lights so that there's no interference, and it's best to be in a relatively flat area where you can see the horizon clearly. You should check the forecast to make sure it's set to be a cloudless night, as clouds make it much harder to see planets and stars.

What special equipment do I need to observe the South Carolina night sky?

No special equipment is needed to enjoy amateur stargazing in South Carolina! If you want to pick up binoculars or a telescope, they're always helpful, but if you're in an area with clear skies away from city lights, you can see amazing wonders just with the naked eye. It might also be helpful to get an astronomy book or smartphone app to help you better identify different constellations.

What planets are visible tonight in South Carolina?

You can often view five planets visible in South Carolina, but it's rare to see them all in a row as they'll be in March 2023.