Five planets will line up in a row above Boise. Here’s how to view the rare event
Look up in the sky above Boise this weekend, and you might see something that hasn’t been around in almost 10 months.
On Tuesday, a large planetary alignment involving five planets will streak across our sky. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus will appear to be in a near-straight line, according to Star Walk Space.
The last time multiple planets lined up in a similar pattern was in early June 2022, when Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus aligned across the sky.
Although Tuesday evening is the best time to see the alignment, stargazers can witness the event several days before and after Tuesday. Here’s what to know about the rare solar occurrence.
What is planetary alignment?
Planetary alignment, also known as a conjunction between two planets, is, in essence, an optical illusion. The planets of the Solar System all move around the same orbital plane, according to National Geographic, so when several planets are on the same side of the sun as Earth, it looks as if they’re close together.
In reality, the planets are hundreds of millions of miles apart. Sometimes several planets can be on the same side of the sun as Earth but not align due to their orbital positions.
But when they do, it creates a magnificent sight in the sky.
How to spot the alignment
Most of the alignment over the next few days can be viewed with the naked eye, but telescopes or a pair of binoculars would be helpful.
Venus, Mars and Jupiter can all be viewed easily with the naked eye, according to The Farmers’ Almanac. Mercury can also be seen with the naked eye, but due to its proximity to the sun, it can be seen only right after sunset or before dawn, meaning those would be the best moments to see the entire alignment.
Uranus is so far away — 1.9 billion miles — that unless you’re in a pitch-dark area like the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, you’ll need a magnification device.
Viewing the alignment in Boise
While the alignment peak is on Tuesday, the best chance — and perhaps only chance — for Southwest Idahoans to view it is on Sunday night. The planets aren’t moving anywhere quickly, and they’ll still be visible in a line for several days on either side of Tuesday, according to Star Walk Space.
Sunday night is the only night with clear skies in the forecast for Boise, according to the National Weather Service.
Meteorologist Chuck Redman told the Idaho Statesman that a low-pressure system moved into southern Idaho on Thursday, bringing rain and the potential for snow on Friday and Saturday. That system will clear out on Sunday before a second round of storms moves in on Monday and lasts through the rest of the week.
“Periods of mostly cloudy skies, not really looking for a lot of sun, the only day we might see more sun would probably be during the day on Sunday,” Redman said. “That’s kind of when the first low-pressure is kicked out.”
