"We're seeing this alignment now because the planets' orbits have brought them into roughly the same area of the sky from our perspective on Earth. Since each planet circles the sun at a different speed, they constantly shift position against the backdrop of stars. Only occasionally do their paths line up in a way that places several of them together in our night sky."
"While it's fairly common to spot four or five planets at the same time, seeing six is much rarer. All seven were visible together last year, but the next full line up won't occur again until 2040."
"Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the planetary parade should head outside in the early evening—around 5.45pm in the UK and 6pm in the US—and find a spot with a clear view to the west, preferably up a hill with an unobstructed vista. The planets will appear in a curved line across the sky."
A rare planetary alignment will occur this weekend when six planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mercury, Neptune, and Uranus—become visible simultaneously in the night sky. While four or five planets often align, six planets together is uncommon, with the previous occurrence last year and the next full alignment not expected until 2040. Neptune and Uranus require binoculars or telescopes to observe. The alignment results from each planet's different orbital speeds causing them to shift positions against the star backdrop, occasionally creating configurations where multiple planets appear together. NASA has released sonifications of astronomical data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory for Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. Optimal viewing occurs around 5:45 PM in the UK from a western-facing location with clear skies.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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