You can see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn all in the early morning sky this June

Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY
·2 min read

The more in the sky, the better.

Less than two months after early risers were able to see four planets in alignment in the morning sky, Mercury will join the party, allowing the U.S. to witness five planets lined up in the sky for the first time in nearly 20 years.

For the rest of the month, everyone in the U.S. will be able to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in the early morning sky.

It may be difficult to spot Mercury in early June because its close proximity to the horizon, EarthSky.org reported. It may require binoculars to see all planets in early June, but Mercury should be more visible now, making it easier to see with the naked eye, as long as city lights and weather conditions don't prevent people from seeing the spectacle.

Another fascinating tidbit of the alignment is all the planets will appear in order of the solar system, of course excluding Earth.

People are silhouetted against the sky at dusk as they watch the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter, Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Edgerton, Kan. The two planets are in their closest observable alignment since 1226. Appearing a tenth of a degree apart, the alignment known as the "great conjunction" has also been called the "Christmas Star."
People are silhouetted against the sky at dusk as they watch the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter, Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, in Edgerton, Kan. The two planets are in their closest observable alignment since 1226. Appearing a tenth of a degree apart, the alignment known as the "great conjunction" has also been called the "Christmas Star."

This isn't a rare occurrence, as it is the first time it will appear in order in the sky since December 2004, according to Sky & Telescope. It will take another near-20 years for it to happen once more, as it won't appear again in order until 2040.

The reason the planets will all appear at once is because all of the planet's orbits around the sun are near aligned. Mercury orbits the sun ever 88 days, while it takes Saturn 29 years to do so.

The conjunction will be visible in the U.S. and rest of Northern Hemisphere in the early morning by looking east towards southeast, beginning about an hour before sunrise until the sun's brightness overtakes the sky. Those in the Southern Hemisphere should look east to northeast.

"Just make sure you set your alarm and wake up on time," Sky & Telescope said.

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As a tip, Venus is the brightest planet to see, followed by Jupiter, EarthSky.org said.

The alignment will reach its peak on June 24, according to Sky & Telescope, when the waning crescent moon will align in between Venus and Mars, serving as a faux-Earth in place of the solar system. As we creep into July, the alignment will disappear. NASA said Venus and Saturn will be gone from the early morning view by September.

"As June ends, Mercury is edging back toward the sunrise glare," EarthSky.org said "As July begins, Mercury – often called the most elusive planet – will disappear from view."

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Planets aligned: How to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn