Rare celestial event: 5 planets to align in Alabama sky

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - It may seem odd considering they are so far from Earth, but multiple planets will be visible in the predawn sky for the rest of June. Not only that, but they will all appear to line up.

If you look in the southeastern sky just before sunrise over the next couple of weeks the sight will be well worth your time.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will align in an arc and be visible to the naked eye in the process. It’s a spectacle that hasn’t happened since 2004 and won’t happen again until 2040.

They key will be making sure your view of the eastern horizon is completely unobstructed. In other words, try to make sure your eastern view is flat and free of trees, hills and buildings. That’s because Mercury will be very low in the sky, so a building or hill could prevent you from seeing it.

The other four planets will easily be visible above the horizon.

Binoculars or a telescope will make for an even more memorable experience, but they aren’t required. The planets will all shine brighter than nearby stars to be seen easily.

To make things even better, the crescent moon will join in on the alignment party on the morning of June 24th. It will appear between Venus and Mars, creating a very rare and stunning sight of six celestial bodies lined up!

The time to view is roughly 45-60 minutes before sunrise. For us in Alabama that translates to roughly 4:40-5:05 a.m. If you want to check your exact location’s sunrise time, just click here.

If you happen to snap any photos or videos, please share those with us by submitting them here.

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