Starting this week, and for a few more, the five planets can be seen with the naked eye during the sunset - in late January and early February, they could be spotted only at dawn.
This is only possible, according to David Dickinson, the Universe Today Astronomy site because before we had all the planets before us.
"Now, we see our 'mirror' because Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are in front, while Mercury and Venus are rushing to catch up," wrote Dickinson.
If you are in an open space without clouds from Wednesday you can see the five neighboring planets southwest Earth.
Brightness and color
To identify the planets, pay attention to the subtle differences that you will see in the sky. Venus is the brightest of all, and Jupiter is the next in brightness. Both are still visible when the sun is about to hide.
Mars, in turn, is reddish and Saturn, yellowish. Both shine with similar intensity.
Find Mercury is always the biggest challenge because it is the smallest planet and can hide easily.
The thumb trick
Astronomer Jason Kendall, associate professor at William Paterson University in New Jersey, in the United States, published on his YouTube channel a practical exercise to know if what you are seeing is a planet or a star.
"Close one eye. Straighten the arm and put his thumb up. Slowly pass it from one side to the other planet or star you see in the sky. If the light attenuating when the thumb passing over it is a planet. But if she quickly flashing is a star, "he said.
The trick works best with Jupiter and Venus, says astronomer because they are brighter.
Anyway, what needs to be clear if you decide to "go hunting" is that these planets are the brightest celestial bodies seen from Earth - after the Sun and the Moon, of course.
The five planets will no longer line up until September 8, 2040, when they will be 9.3 degrees on the sky.
CREDITS: G1
Published by Wes
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