Tips for Observing This Month's Rare Planetary Alignment

Tips for Observing This Month's Rare Planetary Alignment

Tips for Observing , This Month's Rare, Planetary Alignment.

'Newsweek' recently offered readers tips for catching a glimpse of a rare five-planet alignment visible for the month of June.

Throughout June, the five "naked-eye" planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, will be visible in the sky.

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This particular kind of alignment last occurred in December of 2004.

Seeing all the five naked eye planets in such a parade, moreover in the same order of their increasing distance from the sun, from Mercury on the left to Saturn on the right, does not happen frequently, Gianluca Masi, Astronomer from the Virtual Telescope Project, via 'Newsweek' .

According to Diana Hannikainen, observing editor of 'Sky & Telescope' magazine, the alignment is only visible in the dawn sky.

People will need to be up before sunrise and look toward the east-southeast, Diana Hannikainen, Observing editor of 'Sky & Telescope' magazine, via 'Newsweek' .

They'll need to find an unobstructed horizon, such as a lake, or a field, or a hilltop, with clear views to the horizon.

, Diana Hannikainen, Observing editor of 'Sky & Telescope' magazine, via 'Newsweek' .

They should get into place about an hour, an hour and a half before local sunrise, Diana Hannikainen, Observing editor of 'Sky & Telescope' magazine, via 'Newsweek' .

Any morning that's clear between now and the end of the month is worth taking a peek, Diana Hannikainen, Observing editor of 'Sky & Telescope' magazine, via 'Newsweek' .

'Newsweek' reports that no special equipment is necessary to view the alignment, however binoculars would offer a better view.

'Newsweek' reports that no special equipment is necessary to view the alignment, however binoculars would offer a better view