6 planets to align in rare sky display Saturday

ISTANBUL

A rare six-planet alignment will be visible in the evening sky Saturday, an event often described as a “planetary parade,” according to astronomy reports.

Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are expected to appear along the same stretch of sky shortly after sunset, with the viewing window lasting about 30 to 45 minutes before some planets drop below the horizon.

The phenomenon is a perspective effect caused by the planets orbiting along the same plane around the Sun, known as the ecliptic. From Earth, this alignment can place multiple planets within the same region of the sky at the same time.

4 visible to naked eye

Four of the six planets are expected to be visible without optical aid.

Venus will appear low in the western sky near Aquarius and will be the brightest object in the lineup, shining at about magnitude −3.9. Jupiter will be visible in Gemini on the opposite side of the sky, while Saturn will appear between them in Pisces.

Mercury will remain close to the western horizon and may be difficult to spot without a clear, unobstructed view.

The remaining two planets will require binoculars or a telescope. Neptune, located near Saturn, is too faint to be seen with the naked eye, while Uranus, positioned higher in Taurus near the Pleiades, may be hard to detect because of the nearly full Moon.

Such alignments occur when several planets occupy a relatively narrow section of the sky. Astronomers say the display will be easier to observe from the Northern Hemisphere.