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The Sky will witness an amazing celestial event on June 3, 2024, that is also called a parade of planets. Nevertheless, it might be difficult to see this rare event due to the presence of the rising sun and the light of the moon. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shares some tips and tricks to be a witness to this marvelous incident.
What is this Parade of Planets?
The planetary alignment of planets happens when two or more planets are aligned closely together in the sky appearing aligned on one side of the Sun, As per the opinion of NASA.
However, planets might be aligned or close together in the sky but they are still millions of miles away from each other in space, as stated by Astronomy.com.
Each planet orbits the sun at distinct speeds and distances It takes around 365 days for Earth to complete a total orbit. Meanwhile, it only takes 88 days for Mercury and 6190 days for Neptune to orbit the sun.
Image Source: Forbes
Due to this sometimes the paths of this planet process lead to this lineup which is also referred to as conjunction though it’s a rare event for more than two planets to align at a time.
According to the educational astronomy app Star Walk, this celestial phenomenon is anticipated to be visible in the U.S. during the early morning of June 3. Astronomers predict that Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Mercury will align.
The best time to view this planetary parade is just before sunrise. The East Coast is expected to showcase the best viewing area as per the report of the Weather Channel.
Image Source: The Weather Channel
Which planets are going to be seen on June 3?
In a recent post on Twitter, NASA declared that Skygazers must look for reddish Mars between the slim crescent moon and Saturn on June 3 exactly one hour before sunrise. The extraordinary vision is possible to view with the help of a telescope.
The Moon, Mars, and Saturn will be easily seen while other planets will be visible with the help of a telescope. Mars will have a fainted red tint whereas Saturn will look like a bright point in the sky, said by Noah Petro, a scientist associated with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project at NASA.
Image Source: The Washington Post
Why other planets cannot be seen?
The other planets will not be visible because of the bright light of the sun. Jupiter and Mercury being so close to the horizon will be blotted out by the bright light of the sun. Neptune and Uranus will be visible only through the telescope. This is important to note that maybe planets are not visible through the naked eye but they all will be in line with the sun.
How to View this marvelous event in India: Tips from NASA?
The marvelous event is significant as it will provide fans of astronomy to view this spectacular celestial event. This is a perfect opportunity to witness the harmony and beauty of the universe.
In India, the fans are recommended to wake up before sunrise and gaze toward the eastern sky to witness this rare astronomical alignment. Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and Mercury will be visible through the naked eye while Neptune and Uranus being more elusive require high-powered binoculars and telescopes. However, it is recommended to check the weather forecast as the alignment is visible only in the clear sky.
This astronomical event is common as the grouping happens numerous times annually. However, this time the beauty cosmos is gathering attention because of the alignment of six planets together which is a rare event.
