On June 3, a planetary alignment of six planets will be visible in the night sky from Earth. You will be able to witness a rare astronomical phenomenon on this day. According to the reports, the planets, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, will align in the sky early Monday morning, June 3rd, 2024.
Rare Phenomenon in the Sky:
The alignment phenomenon is visible when circumstances align to make several planets visible simultaneously in the sky. This creates a breathtaking sight, although the geometry isn’t always perfect due to slight inclinations in the planets’ orbits. To witness such an alignment, observers need to face east approximately 20 minutes before sunrise.
According to Kate Pattle, a lecturer at University College London's Physics & Astronomy Department in conversation with Glamour UK, “A planetary alignment is an astronomical event that happens when, by coincidence, the orbits of several of the planets of the Solar System bring them to roughly the same side of the Sun at the same time.”
As per the report, Kate explained “This means that they appear in a line on the sky when we view them from the Earth. In this case, the planets Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune and Saturn will form a line across the sky, in that order.”
“It’s important to emphasize that the planets aren’t forming a straight line in space – that’s a much rarer astronomical event called a syzygy,” she says. "However, because all the planets – including the Earth – orbit around the Sun in roughly the same orientation (moving in which we call the “Plane of the Ecliptic”), when they’re on the same side of the Sun as each other, they appear to form a line in the sky when we view them from Earth.”
What is the Alignment of Planet?:
The “parade of planets” or “planetary alignment” is basically the planets being in a true orbital alignment meaning that the planets will align visually in the sky. You can grab one of the best opportunities to see Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all at once in the sky as a result of this planetary alignment.
What are the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)?
The recent rare aurora sightings have left everyone in awe of nature. It is known as the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, when viewed from a location close to the North Pole. The Aurora Australis, sometimes known as the Southern Lights, is what happens if you are close to the South Pole. It is an event that was visible to the unaided eye in several locations at higher elevations. Six planets and a crescent moon will align in the sky in early June, providing a new opportunity for stargazing.
When we look from the ground, these planets appear to be on the same line in the sky. The planets are not actually in the same orbit but look like that when we look at the Earth. The distance between them is several kilometers. The last time these planets were in orbit was on April 8, 2024. The next planetary alignment will occur on August 28, 2024.
