Experience The Spectacular Alignment Of Planets In The Night Sky!

All of the planets of the solar system are visible together in the night sky right now, providing stargazers with a "spectacular" show to end the year. Over the next few days, it is possible to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn simultaneously with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune can be observed with binoculars or a telescope. This unique event presents a rare opportunity for both seasoned astronomers and casual stargazers to appreciate the beauty of our celestial neighbors.

As Gianluca Masi, an astronomer with the Virtual Telescope Project, mentioned, "These nights, we can see all the planets of our solar system at a glance, soon after sunset. It happens from time to time, but it is always a spectacular sight." The coming days are particularly special, as the moon will also join the planetary display after December 24, making it a thrilling time for anyone interested in astronomy.

For those who prefer to enjoy the celestial spectacle from home, the Virtual Telescope Project will provide a live stream showcasing the planets and the moon above the skyline of Rome. This service, managed by the Bellatrix Astronomical Observatory in Ceccano, Italy, operates robotic telescopes, allowing viewers worldwide to witness the wonders of the night sky easily.

Starting from the south-western horizon, the naked eye planets will line up in the following order: Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. Mercury will be the hardest planet to see, being located in a bright part of the sky. While the planet may be visible to the naked eye, binoculars may help to locate it, as well as Venus.

You will also need binoculars to find Uranus, located between Mars and Jupiter, and Neptune—which is situated between Saturn and Jupiter. This way, we can see the entire planetary family, as Masi said.

This planetary parade is not a regular occurrence, but it is not as rare as you might expect—such an alignment takes place every one to two years or so, on average. The last time all of the planets were visible in the sky simultaneously was June this year.

During this show, the five naked eye planets were also lined up in the sky in the same sequential order that they physically orbit the sun—i.e. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Such an alignment had not occurred for 18 years.

Uranus and Neptune were also visible with binoculars during this event but, they were not aligned in increasing order of distance from the sun. The latest planetary parade is set to last until the end of the year, when Mercury will fade away, so you only have a few days to catch a glimpse of it.

If you would prefer to watch the event from the comfort of your own home, the Virtual Telescope Project will be providing a live stream showing the planets and the moon above the skyline of Rome. The Christmas live feed is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. UTC, or 11 a.m. Eastern Time, on December 28.