Early-morning stargazers will have the rare opportunity to observe five planets at the same time during the next few weeks, according to a recent post on astronomy website EarthSky.org.
EarthSky says it’s the first time in more than 11 years that the five brightest planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn — will simultaneously appear in the sky above Earth.
People had their first chance to catch the five planets before sunrise this morning, according to EarthSky, and the rare sight can be witnessed just before dawn every day through February 20.
The planets can be seen without a telescope or binoculars from anywhere on Earth, the EarthSky post says. Unclear skies could prevent some people from observing the spectacle on certain days.
Astronomers around the world are preparing for a major galactic event tonight, when Venus and Jupiter will cross paths in the night sky.
“To the eye they’ll look like a double star,” Sky & Telescope editor Kelly Beatty said on the magazine’s website.
Some of the astronomers say that the convergence of the two planets is so bright and noticeable that it could have been the “star of Bethlehem” that is mentioned in the Bible. The planets will be a “jaw-dropping one-third of a degree apart” according to NASA.
“You’ll be able to hide the pair not just behind the palm of your outstretched hand, but behind your little pinky finger,” NASA says.
NASA says the convergence of the planets takes place about every 13 months. However, it’s rare that the planets will come so close together in the night sky. The next time the planets will be this close will be November 2065 when they will appear to cross paths.