You can see almost three worlds in the night sky on Mondays and Tuesdays (April 4-5) if you get up a bit early.
Cloudy Venus, resplendent Mars and banded Saturn will meet again in the southeastern sky before dawn after forming a celestial triangle at the end of March.
NASA noted that Mars and Saturn were only inches away on Friday (April 1), but they will be closer on Monday.
“On the fourth of the month, Saturn and Mars are less than the width of the full moon,” the agency said in a statement. Then Saturn moves in, and its separation from Mars increases every day.” announcement. You can best watch the show around 5:50 a.m. EDT in New York City, about 45 minutes before dawn.
If you are looking for a binocular or telescope to see the planets in the night sky, check out our guides for it. The best binoculars and the best telescopes. If you need photographic equipment, consider the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography to prepare for the next view of the planet.
Belong to: The brightest planets in the night sky: How to see them (and when)
Seeing planets?
If you take a picture of the planets, let us know! You can send photos and comments in [email protected].
You can also see the planets move slightly between Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday, Saturn and Mars will reach their closest approach to each other, just half a degree apart. (Mars will glow red, below Saturn white-yellow.)
Venus will also be visible, according to NASA, to the lower left of Saturn and Mars. “Venus will last rise above the east-southeast horizon at 4:54 a.m. EDT, and will be about 10 degrees above the horizon when morning twilight begins about an hour later at 5:48 a.m.,” the agency said.
Besides the sight of planets, there is plenty to see in the night sky. The Monday bright Pleiades star cluster will be only five degrees in the upper right of the waxing crescent moon.
Although the stellar mass is visible to the naked eye, it depends on how much light pollution interferes with sight. “You may need binoculars to really appreciate this star cluster,” NASA said.
Then Tuesday, watch out for the bright star Aldebaran, about seven degrees below the left of the moon. The star is the eye of the bull, the constellation Taurus. (Names may vary depending on your culture; we are referring to the official designations of the International Astronomical Union.)
Planetary and lunar alignments are common because all of these worlds orbit in the same approximate plane of the solar system, known as the ecliptic. Even if you don’t quite capture the alignment of worlds, the three planets will still be shining in the coming days and will give you a great view.
Editor’s note: If you took a great photo of the planets and want to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, let us know! You can send photos and comments in [email protected]
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