HOUSTON — Stargazers will have a special treat this weekend with a planetary parade of seven planets. If the weather cooperates, you should be able to see some of them without any fancy equipment.
While Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune have been gracing our skies since January, according to the Smithsonian, Mercury is now joining the party.
Venus, Mars and Jupiter are visible to the naked eye. A faint Saturn and Mercury are close to the horizon, making them harder to spot. Uranus and Neptune can be glimpsed with binoculars and telescopes.
These planetary hangouts happen when several planets appear to line up in the night sky at once. They’re not in a straight line, but are close together on one side of the sun.
To enjoy the show, you need a relatively clear sky. After sunset, the planets will shine brighter than the stars, and Mars will appear like a reddish-orange dot. Stargazing apps may help with where to look.
According to Star Walk, here’s what to expect.
Mars (Gemini) – High in the sky, easy to spot
Jupiter (Taurus) – Second brightest planet, shining below Mars
Uranus (Aries) – Faint but visible with binoculars.
Venus (Pisces) – The brightest of them all
Neptune (Pisces) – Hard to see, binoculars or telescope needed.
Mercury (Aquarius) – Low on the horizon, near the Sun
Saturn (Aquarius) – The toughest one to see; Catch it right after sunset.
The planets will slowly make their exit through the spring.
The big question is: Will we be able to see the show in Southeast Texas?
Meteorologist Chris Ramirez says we are expecting mostly clear skies for Friday and Saturday with minimal cloud cover. However, clouds will start building back in on Sunday ahead of a disturbance that could bring showers Sunday evening. You might need a light jacket if you are out stargazing. Overnight temperatures will remain chilly, falling into the 50s.
The astronomical linkup is fairly common and can happen at least every year depending on the number of planets. A parade of four or five planets visible to the naked eye happens every few years, according to NASA.
A similar parade took place last June, but only two planets could be seen without any special equipment.
