Rare Planetary Parade: Six Planets to Light Up the Night Sky

Astronomy enthusiasts are in for a treat starting Tuesday as six planets line up in a celestial parade visible from Earth. Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars can be seen with the naked eye, while Neptune and Uranus require a powerful telescope for observation. While planetary alignments along a line are common, viewing multiple planets together is a rare phenomenon.

To celebrate this event, the Tamilnadu Science and Technology Centre (TNSTC) is organizing a special night sky observation session at the Periyar Science and Technology Centre in Kotturpuram, Chennai, from January 22 to 25, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. I.K. Lenin Tamilkovan, Executive Director of TNSTC, explained that while the planets can be viewed separately throughout January, Wednesday will offer the best opportunity to see four bright planets in a single field of view.

According to NASA, Venus and Saturn will appear in the southwest sky during the first two hours after sunset, with Jupiter positioned high overhead and Mars rising in the east around 9 p.m. While Uranus and Neptune can also be seen, their visibility requires a larger telescope and expertise to distinguish them from surrounding stars.

The previous planetary parade took place in June 2024 when Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter aligned with the moon. By early February, the moon will join the view, appearing alongside Jupiter and Saturn. Tamilkovan encourages sky gazers to take advantage of this rare opportunity to witness such an extraordinary alignment of planets.