Here's how to see rare five-planet alignment in Greater Columbus this June

Micah Walker, The Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
From bottom left to top right: Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn line up in the sky over Palm Beach 40 minutes before sunrise in April. Mercury will appear in the line in mid June 10, leading to a five-planet alignment.
From bottom left to top right: Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn line up in the sky over Palm Beach 40 minutes before sunrise in April. Mercury will appear in the line in mid June 10, leading to a five-planet alignment.

For those who enjoy getting up early to watch the sun rise, the month of June will bring an added bonus — five planets visible to the naked eye.

The event, which began June 3, features five planets that are visible shortly before sunrise in their correct order out from the sun: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

The moon also will "visit" each planet on specific mornings: Saturn on June 18; Jupiter on June 21; Mars on June 22; Venus on June 26 and Mercury on June 27, according to Space.com.

The last time the five planets were strung across the horizon in sequence and visible to the naked eye was in December 2004, according to the publication Sky and Telescope. 

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How can I see the five-planet alignment?

The planet Mercury.
The planet Mercury.

To catch this celestial sight, sky watchers in the Northern Hemisphere should head outside about 30 minutes before sunrise and choose a spot with unobstructed views of the eastern and southeastern horizon, according to NBC News.

However, Mercury will be harder to spot in certain parts of the month, said Sky and Telescope. Early in the month, sky watchers might need binoculars to see the planet. As the month goes on, Mercury climbs higher in the sky and brightens significantly, making it easier to see.

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The big event 

Comparative sizes of the first four planets from the sun, from left: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Earth is close to 8,000 miles wide.
Comparative sizes of the first four planets from the sun, from left: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Earth is close to 8,000 miles wide.

The best date to see the astronomical event will be June 24, said Sky and Telescope. Mercury will be much more visible and the spectacle will last for about an hour before the sun rises. In addition, a crescent moon will also be visible, appearing between Venus and Mars.

But for those who are unable to see the big event due to cloudy skies, all five planets should be visible through much of June.

Storms, cloudy skies expected for Greater Columbus this week

For those in the Columbus area who want to check this out in the near future, there's a bit of bad news: Cloudy skies are in the forecast this week.

According to the National Weather Service, skies will be partly cloudy Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night, while Friday night is expected to be mostly cloudy.

Micah Walker is the Dispatch trending reporter. Reach her at mwalker@dispatch.com or 740-251-7199. Follow her on Twitter @micah_walker701. 

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Here's how to see rare five-planet alignment in Greater Columbus