“Cosmic Delight: Witness the Rare Celestial Dance of Nearly All Planets Aligned in the Night Sky!”

Sky watchers are being offered a unique planetary alignment this month, often termed a “planet parade”, showcasing most of the planets in the night sky simultaneously.

Astrophysicist Dr Rebecca Allen, co-head of Swinburne University’s space technology and industry institute, noted this would be a singular occasion to witness the alignment of so many planets, particularly the outer ones like Neptune.

Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus are expected to be the most prominent, especially around January 21, though sky watchers may also catch glimpses of Neptune and Uranus positioned above the horizon with a good pair of binoculars or a quality telescope.

“They all happen to be positioned in their orbits on the same side of our sun, within the same degrees in our sky, allowing us to see them,” she mentioned. “That is remarkable.

“Ultimately, it’s about our perspective. All of these planets are at significant distances from us and from each other.”

Planets nearer to the sun, like Venus – a rocky, Earth-sized body – will be more luminous and simpler to spot, she indicated. The planet, frequently referred to as the “morning star” or “evening star”, undergoes phases similarly to the moon and would be fascinating to observe over several weeks.

Venus and Saturn experienced a “conjunction” in January, meaning they would seem closer in the night sky, she explained. Stargazers would even be able to view Saturn’s rings through a telescope, appearing “edge on” like a thin slice.

Mars and its characteristics would be particularly distinct, Allen noted. The sun is in opposition, she stated, signifying “you’re observing Mars, and the sun is positioned behind you.”

Jupiter – the fifth planet, and the most massive – would be near Orion, a constellation many Australians recognize as “the saucepan”. With a telescope, she stated, one could even distinguish the clouds on Jupiter’s surface and some of its moons.

Con Stoitsis, from the Astronomical Society of Victoria, remarked that four of the planets were “like beacons” easily visible around 9.45pm on a clear night with a view to the horizon. “You can’t miss them,” he claimed.

When facing north, Venus and Saturn would appear to the left, he mentioned, and Jupiter to the right, followed by Mars in “brilliant red” a couple of hours later.

Besides the planet parade, Stoitsis noted it was also an excellent time to look out for satellites, which appear as bright stars that move.

“The sky is quite busy. If you want to relax under the stars and take out a deck chair, I’d predict you’ll probably see half a dozen satellites within an hour.”

Stoitsis, the director of the society’s comets and meteors, mentioned that enthusiasts are currently monitoring the comet designated C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), which recently managed to survive an approach with the sun.

Comets are akin to cats, he said: “They’ve got tails and behave as they please.” They are also unpredictable, and this particular one could either become exceedingly bright and visible around January 18, or it might fizzle out.

Allen stated the optimal view of the planet parade would occur around January 21 as the moon waned. A basic sky map would be quite useful, she noted, with numerous options available as phone applications. Local astronomical societies and observatories typically provide additional information or host special events.

“We are truly fortunate, all of us on Earth, to witness this alignment occur amidst some of the most renowned and easily identifiable summer constellations … Orion, Gemini, and Taurus,” she conveyed.

“It’s the school break. Take the children outside. It’s a chance to utilize binoculars and observe nearly all of the planets this month.”