How to view the planetary parade from Birmingham on Feb. 28

A uncommon astronomical phenomenon will happen Saturday, Feb. 28, and Birmingham may have an excellent view.

A “planetary parade” occurs when six planets seem in a free alignment shortly after sundown, WVTM meteorologist Jason Simpson wrote on Facebook.

Provided the climate cooperates, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter will likely be seen to the bare eye, according to NASA. To see Uranus and Neptune, viewers will want binoculars or a telescope.

You could possibly spot these planets shut collectively earlier than Feb. 28, however that Saturday will likely be when they’re most intently aligned this month.

Why do planetary parades occur?

Planetary parades, typically often known as planetary alignments, aren’t uncommon in and of themselves. But the extra planets are seen on the similar time, the extra uncommon it’s.

The moon and planets orbit the Sun on the “ecliptic,” a time period typically utilized in stargazing to explain an identical geometric aircraft.

From our vantage level on Earth, the planets seem to journey alongside the identical strip of sky. Each planet, nonetheless, orbits the Sun at its personal velocity — Mercury can end a lap in 88 days, however Saturn takes about 29 years.

The planetary parades occur when these laps occur to align, so the planets are all in about the identical place on the similar time.

How to view in Birmingham

Unlike some house spectacles, you gained’t want to remain up too late to catch this month’s planetary parade.

Here’s what it is advisable to know, in keeping with Simpson:

• When: Saturday, Feb. 28 from about 6:10-6:30 PM
• Where: Find an unobstructed view of the sky dealing with west-southwest
• Tips:
  • Start trying round 5:45 PM to look at the planets emerge after sundown
  • Mercury could also be laborious to identify as a result of it sits very low — bushes or buildings could block its view
  • Saturn can also be positioned decrease on the horizon
  • Venus and Jupiter would be the brightest objects within the sky
  • Uranus is positioned near the Pleiades and Neptune is positioned close to Saturn — each would require binoculars or a telescope

Some nice public choices for viewing close by embody:

• Oak Mountain State Park
• Bluff Park
• Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park
• Cahaba River Park

Sites nearer to Birmingham-proper — equivalent to Vulcan Park — could also be nice to view a stupendous skyline, however for stargazing, it’s finest to get away from metropolis lights.

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