'Mars, Jupiter, Venus and more': 6 planets to be visible from Earth on Jan 21
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Six planets — Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, and Saturn — will align in Earth's sky this month, creating a "planetary parade." While January 21 and 25 are good opportunities to witness this phenomenon, the event will be visible on any clear night throughout the month, and it began in December.
January 21 offers an ideal time to observe the planetary alignment, as the moon will be in its last quarter phase, rising around midnight. This provides darker skies that allow the bright planets to stand out clearly, even with light pollution.
On January 21, Saturn and Venus will appear close to each other in the western sky, just after their conjunction on January 18. Jupiter will be visible in the southern sky, while Mars, following its opposition on January 15, will shine in the east. Uranus will be located near Jupiter, and Neptune will be positioned above Venus. However, Uranus and Neptune will require a telescope for clear viewing.
Uranus and Neptune will not be visible to the naked eye on January 21. To view these planets, a powerful backyard telescope will be necessary, as they are faint and located in the same general area of the sky as brighter planets.
An even more remarkable alignment will occur in March when Mercury joins the planetary parade. This will take place in the first week of March, creating an additional sight to behold, particularly when the planet reaches its greatest elongation east on March 8.
During the first week of March, Mercury will be visible between Saturn and Venus, close to the western horizon. A thin crescent moon will also appear above this group. Neptune will still be out of sight, but Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars will be visible higher up in the sky.
As the planets continue to align in the coming months, skywatchers can expect even more notable events. Notably, 2025 promises further stargazing opportunities, with more planetary alignments and celestial occurrences on the horizon.
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