Get ready to kick off the New Year with some jaw-dropping celestial shows! From the enchanting northern lights to a dazzling meteor shower, a four-planet alignment will dazzles in the night sky of January.
Here’s the good news for sky watchers. The spectacular four-planet conjunction featuring Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars lighting up the night sky all month long.
What to Look For
As night falls, keep an eye on the southwest for Venus and Saturn glowing low on the horizon. Jupiter will shine brightly above them, while fiery Mars blazes further east.
Got a telescope? Lucky you—Uranus and Neptune are also hanging out, though they’re a bit too shy to be seen without help.
Why do the planets line up like this?
It’s all thanks to the ecliptic, the imaginary path that marks the plane of our solar system. NASA likens it to a cosmic racetrack, where planets occasionally appear to cozy up as they whiz around the Sun.
Mark Your Calendar
Venus and Saturn are the ones to watch this month. Night by night, they’ll inch closer together until mid-January, when they’ll stage a super-close meetup on January 17 and 18. After that, they’ll start to drift apart, so don’t miss their celestial dance!
Meanwhile, Mars is having a moment, too. It reaches opposition this month, meaning it’s on the exact opposite side of Earth from the Sun. This alignment brings the red planet closer to us, making it look bigger and brighter—a treat that only comes around every two years.
Four-Planet Alignment: Why It’s Special
Seeing planets align isn’t rare, but catching four bright ones in the sky at once? That’s a show worth stepping outside for. NASA says this doesn’t happen every year, so grab your binoculars—or just your curiosity—and soak in the view while you can.
So, bundle up, find a dark spot, and look up this January. The universe has some incredible sights in store!
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