Six planets of the solar system – Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune – will appear simultaneously in the sky on Sunday, August 17, and will last for several days, until August 20.
This was reported by Live Science.
The astronomical phenomenon known as the “parade of planets” was last observed in February this year. The planets will converge in the eastern part of the sky about an hour before sunrise. Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will be the most visible. Mercury will be located closer to the horizon, but in clear weather it will also be possible to see it. Uranus and Neptune, on the other hand, can only be seen through a telescope due to their dimness.
The celestial spectacle will be enhanced by the thin crescent of the Moon, which will appear over Venus and Jupiter on the night of August 17 and 18. These two planets – the brightest objects in the sky after the Moon – are now gradually moving away from each other after a rare convergence on August 12.
Mercury will be most convenient to observe on the mornings of August 19 and 20, when it will rise just above the horizon. On these days, the Moon’s sickle will be almost next to Venus and Jupiter, creating the most spectacular part of the “parade of planets”.
After August 21, Mercury will again hide in the sunlight and become almost invisible.
According to the Star Walk app, two six-planet parades will be available next year: one after sunset in February and the other before dawn in August 2026.