Rare 6-planet alignment on January 21: How to watch
What's the story
On January 21, a rare celestial event will take place as six planets, namely Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, will align in the night sky.
The alignment will be visible from nearly all parts of the world.
The spectacle will not be a fleeting moment but shall last for about a month until mid or late February. However, the positions of these planets will shift over this period.
Rarity
Planetary alignment of 5 or more are rare
While the conjunctions of two planets are common, alignments of five or more planets are pretty rare. After the upcoming event, there will be two more such alignments this year. However, after these occurrences, the alignment of five or more planets won't happen until 2040.
Viewing guide
Best viewing tips
To get the best view of this planetary alignment, allow 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.
The ideal time is after sunset and from a place far away from artificial light.
Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Venus will appear in an arc from east to west.
While four of these planets can be spotted with naked eyes, Uranus and Neptune require high-powered binoculars or a backyard telescope.
Timing
Ideal time to watch the alignment
It is best to start skywatching earlier in the evening if you can, since Venus, Saturn and Neptune will dip lower toward the horizon before setting.
On January 21, Mars will be in the east, right beneath the constellation Gemini.
Mars has just touched opposition. This means Earth is directly between it and Sun, so it will appear at its biggest and brightest all night.
Planetary details
Jupiter and Uranus in the night sky
Jupiter will be west of Mars, in the Taurus constellation. A pair of high-powered binoculars will let you see Jupiter's moons and perhaps its cloud bands.
On January 21, Uranus will be around 50 degrees west of Jupiter and slightly below it, appearing close to the Pleiades, a bright star cluster visible to naked eye.
However, Uranus can only be seen through high-powered binoculars or a backyard telescope due to its dimness.
Final trio
Neptune, Venus and Saturn in the alignment
Neptune will be clustered with Venus and Saturn above the constellation Aquarius near the western horizon.
Neptune is only visible via high-powered binoculars or a backyard telescope.
Venus and Saturn will be low in the sky toward west, both easily visible to naked eye.
On Tuesday, they'll remain close together- about three degrees apart- so you may be able to see both through high-powered binoculars/telescope.