For the first time in over a decade five planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter, could be seen across the Wednesday morning sky. This wondrous spectacle is expected to be seen every morning for the next month.
As reported in the New York Times:
Admission to the daily show is free, though stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere should plan to get up about 45 minutes before sunrise to catch it. City dwellers can stay in their neighborhoods to watch, as long as they point their attention to the east, according to Mr. Kendall.
“For Mercury you will need binoculars,” he said. “It will not jump out at you, but everybody should be able to see Venus and Jupiter.”
Mr. Kendall said that the hardest task for viewers is discerning the planets from stars twinkling in the sky. But he offered a simple trick: close one eye, stretch out your arm and slowly pass your thumb over a bright dot in the sky. If the dot slowly dims out when your thumb passes over it, it’s a planet. If it quickly blinks out, it’s a distant star.
The celestial show should be visible between Jan. 20 until Feb. 20.
