A stunning lineup of five planets will decorate the night sky

[Spartan]

Night sky lovers can typically spot a smattering of a few planets, but in late March, a stunning visual takes shape when five planets line up beneath the moon in a display sometimes called a planetary parade or alignment.

Onlookers will be able to catch the best glimpse of the alignment — which will include Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus — on Tuesday evening, just after sunset. Much of the display will become visible on Friday and will continue to be so over the next couple of weeks, according to Cameron Hummels, a computational astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology.

The arrangement will be visible just underneath the crescent moon. To spot the display, Hummels recommended heading out to a place with a good view of the western horizon just after sunset,when streaks of the colorful sunset still remainand the sky has turned dark blue but not yet black. (Tip: Those living far to the north should look slightly southwest, while those in the Southern Hemisphere should gaze northwest, Hummels said.)

The easiest planet to spot will be Venus, often referred to as the “evening star,” because it’s the brightest object in the night sky apart from the moon. Uranus will appear close to Venus, though it may be difficult to pick out the distant planet without binoculars or a telescope unless you’re viewing from a prime location with no light pollution.

Beneath Venus and Uranus will be Jupiter and Mercury, hovering just above the horizon. Mercury may also be difficult to catch without special equipment, as the sun’s glare can blot out the planet. But to careful observers, both planets will be visible for about 20 to 30 minutes after sunset, Hummels said.

Topping off the planetary parade will be Mars, sitting in a straight line up from Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and the moon. It’s easy to pick out because of its signature orange tint, Hummels added.

The planets will all appear “kind of like pearls on a necklace” across the night sky, Hummels said.

[Midnightsun]

20 minutes ago, Spartan said:

Night sky lovers can typically spot a smattering of a few planets, but in late March, a stunning visual takes shape when five planets line up beneath the moon in a display sometimes called a planetary parade or alignment.

Onlookers will be able to catch the best glimpse of the alignment — which will include Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus — on Tuesday evening, just after sunset. Much of the display will become visible on Friday and will continue to be so over the next couple of weeks, according to Cameron Hummels, a computational astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology.

The arrangement will be visible just underneath the crescent moon. To spot the display, Hummels recommended heading out to a place with a good view of the western horizon just after sunset,when streaks of the colorful sunset still remainand the sky has turned dark blue but not yet black. (Tip: Those living far to the north should look slightly southwest, while those in the Southern Hemisphere should gaze northwest, Hummels said.)

The easiest planet to spot will be Venus, often referred to as the “evening star,” because it’s the brightest object in the night sky apart from the moon. Uranus will appear close to Venus, though it may be difficult to pick out the distant planet without binoculars or a telescope unless you’re viewing from a prime location with no light pollution.

Beneath Venus and Uranus will be Jupiter and Mercury, hovering just above the horizon. Mercury may also be difficult to catch without special equipment, as the sun’s glare can blot out the planet. But to careful observers, both planets will be visible for about 20 to 30 minutes after sunset, Hummels said.

Topping off the planetary parade will be Mars, sitting in a straight line up from Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and the moon. It’s easy to pick out because of its signature orange tint, Hummels added.

The planets will all appear “kind of like pearls on a necklace” across the night sky, Hummels said.

Guruvu garu ee vaaram

thularasi variki URANUS graha pariharalu cheppagalara?