How to Catch the Rare Alignment of 5 Planets in Western New York

Skygazers are going to want to be up early to catch a rare spectacle on Saturday morning.  Here's how to catch it, and when it will happen again.

It doesn't happen often. Some call it a planet parade when this rare opportunity comes up.  Five different planets are going to line up in the sky, one next to the other overnight.

When is the last time this happened?

This isn't a 1 in a 100-year occurrence but it also doesn't happen every day.  The last time it happened and we could see it in New York was back in March.  That alignment was of Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Mars.

Which planets will be lined up this time?

Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus and Mercury are the five planets that we will be keeping an eye out for.  So instead of Venus and Mars, we will see Saturn and Neptune this time. They will all line up next to the moon.

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When can we see them?

The best time to see it will be in the early mornings this weekend.  The experts suggest you look near the horizon.  About an hour before sunrise, you will be able to see Mercury come into view.  It will be the last of the planets to show up.  But once it does, you will see it closest to the horizon with the other planets above it up to Saturn.

Jupiter and Saturn will be the brightest of the 5.  Although Mercury will be last, you should still be able to see it without the need of a telescope.  But you might need a little help to see Neptune and Uranus.  They will be the most difficult to see with the naked eye.

Try to find a spot with little light pollution to see them the best with a clear view of the horizon.

Will it happen again?

It might be awhile before we see 5 planets lined up like this again.  However, there will be a three-planet alignment in July.