Planets align in the night sky at the end of March. How to get the best view in Louisville
Five planets will appear together in the night sky this month, and the peak moment for sky gazers to see the "planet parade," as it's been dubbed on astronomy website starwalk.com, is coming soon.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus will form an arc for several days leading up to — and after — the alignment on March 28. Benne Holwerda, an astronomer at the University of Louisville, said that means those looking to check it out won't have to stay up late to "tour a good part of the solar system."
"They are visible because of the part of the orbit each of them is in," Holwerda said. "A lot of them will be visible with the naked eye or binoculars or small telescope."
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Two of the rocky inner planets — Venus and Mars — will be among the brightest for those watching from Louisville, Holwerda said. Mercury could be difficult to see, but it could be visible from the horizon in the constellation Pisces. Jupiter, a gaseous outer planet, will appear alongside Mercury, and you may even be able to see its stripes with binoculars, the astronomer added. It will need to be dark to be able to see Jupiter, Pat Peak of the Louisville Astronomical Society said, but folks can start looking for planets right after sunset.
Venus will sit up higher in the sky in the constellation Aries, and is one of the brightest planets — it's sometimes even visible right before sunset. It should pop "into view in the falling twilight," according to astronomy.com.
A pair of binoculars will help to see Uranus, which spins on its side, sitting a couple of degrees away from Venus.
Mars, redder than the others, will be on the highest end of the alignment, and it can be seen near the moon in the constellation Gemini.
Which planets are visible is also affected by location, and light pollution in Louisville may make it difficult to see the alignment.
It's "best to see them out in the countryside, away from streetlights and city lights," Holwerda said. "... If you are in a dark and cloudless spot, it is pretty remarkable how well your eyes adapt."
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Some conjunctions, when two objects in the sky are close to each other, are common, Holwerda said. Conjunctions between the moon and planets happen frequently, for example, but it's a more unique event to see a large planetary alignment.
"Astronomical events happen like clockwork," Holwerda said.
Don't worry if you're unable to see the alignment this month — you'll have several chances to see other cosmic curiosities this spring and summer. A similar alignment will be visible in April, though Jupiter won't be in the lineup, and another large alignment will occur in June, adding Neptune to the mix. A list of the year's planetary alignments can be found on Star Walk's website.
Where can I see the alignment from Louisville?
You'll have the best chance at seeing the alignment in places where the horizon is low so you have more time to see the planets, said Peak. The astronomer suggests trekking out to the Parklands at Floyds Fork and staking out a hill to make the horizon appear lower. The overlook at Iroquois Park might also do the trick, he said.
Contact reporter Rae Johnson at RNJohnson@gannett.com. Follow them on Twitter at @RaeJ_33.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Planets aligned March 28: Best times to view in Louisville
