In mid-January, a spectacular planetary alignment will grace the night sky, offering an incredible sight for both astronomers and skywatchers alike. Six planets will appear to align along their orbital paths, with four of them—Mars, Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter—being bright enough to see with the naked eye.
These planets will form a line in the sky, following the path known as the ecliptic. This alignment occurs because of the relative positioning and orbits of the planets within our solar system, as observed from Earth. The visibility of four bright planets makes this planetary alignment especially remarkable.
Mars, Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter will be the key planets visible during this event, while Uranus and Neptune will also align, though they will only be visible through a telescope. On Thursday, Mars will shine at its brightest as it reaches opposition. This means it will be positioned directly opposite the Sun from Earth’s perspective, making Mars appear larger and brighter. This event marks Mars’ closest approach to Earth and is the perfect opportunity to observe the red planet in detail with a telescope.
On Friday and Saturday, Venus and Saturn will align in a conjunction, meaning they will appear as close to each other as they will be during this alignment. After these days, the two planets will gradually begin to separate.
The full planetary alignment will be visible in the night sky on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. While Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars have been visible throughout January, they will continue to be visible for the rest of the month, offering a rare opportunity for skywatchers to enjoy the alignment of multiple planets in the night sky.