Entertainment, Events, Lifestyle

You can see 5 planets with the naked eye this Sunday – Here’s how to do it!

 You can see 5 planets with the naked eye this Sunday – Here’s how to do it!
0

Via Shutterstock

planets visible
planets visible

We’ve probably all seen or made a solar system diagram, likely with all the planets neatly in a row. However, have you ever seen upstairs nearly all lined up like a 4th-grade diorama with your own peepers? This weekend, nerdlings committed to the cause can wake up just before sunrise to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn sharing a sky and in plain view. Yep! All 5 of our closest planets will be visible to the naked eye!

If you’re a stargazer, then you’d probably agree that July has and will be an exciting month. Comet NEOWISE, the brightest the earth has seen in over 20-years has been visible since the 15th. But it gets better! We still have the planet bonanza, and a meteor shower to look forward to!

Recent Posts:
Deerfoot City & PARK unveil incredible #YYCBlockParty mural, patio, & more
Council will meet Monday to discuss making masks mandatory in Calgary

On Sunday, July 19th, our circular neighbours will light up the night along with a crescent moon. This is pretty special because you’ll actually be able to see them with a naked eye! Pretty cool, right?

So what will they look like, and where will you find them?

Well, Mercury will appear as a small, red dot in the northeast about 45 minutes before sunrise. To see Venus look for a bright light shining in the east. Jupiter will also be super bright and will be sinking into the western sky, just above Saturn. As for Mars, you’ll be able to see her high above the southwestern horizon.

For a better view of Mercury or to see Saturn’s rings, NASA recommends a 6-inch telescope!

As we said, we’ll also be able to see a meteor shower in the coming weeks. Delta Aquariids actually the longest-running shower of all those seen from our little blue rock. It will run until August 23rd, peaking on the 29th of July, a few days after NEOWISE is also closest to earth (July 22-23.)

So get out there, folks. Trust us. 5 planets visible in the same sky? That’s totally worth the early call time. We for sure will be keeping our eyes open!

Via Shutterstock