LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A rare event is expected for the next several nights.
According to experts you will be able to see some of the planets in our solar system without using a telescope.
It’s an event that happens about every 8 years and for the next couple of weeks you should be able to see a planetary parade here in Southern Nevada.
It’s known as a planetary alignment or planetary parade. You should be able to spot Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars.
To see Neptune, Mercury and Uranus you’ll need a telescope or binoculars.
Dr Andrew Kerr, with the Dale Etheridge Planetarium at the College of Southern Nevada North Las Vegas Campus says while the planets will align they will not be in a straight line.
“When people think of an alignment on earth your thinking things one right after thee other but in the our case this one will we have them spread over the entire sky. They are aligned its just that our alignment happens to be curved,” said Dr. Andrew Kerr
And as you gaze up into the night sky and see this alignment you’ll probably think the planets seem so close. That is an optical illusion according to Kerr.
“We’re nearly a billion a billion miles between Saturn and Venus right now,” explained Kerr.
You won’t need one of these to see the planetary parade. It would help but you’ll still be able to see it with a naked eye
So, when is the best time to planet gaze?
“Right now to see Saturn and Venus your going to want to be out within the first hour after sunset and Jupiter will be available pretty much all evening because of where it is in the southeast,” shared Kerr. “Mars is rising just as the sun sets so with our mountains, haze and everything like that half an hour after the sun sets you’ll be able you’ll be able to find Mars out there,”
Kerr says it’s easy to tell the difference between a star and a planet. Stars twinkle, planets don’t so if you are staring up into the sky you should be able to tell the difference.
As for the best location in the valley to go and look up and see this phenomenon
“Anywhere in the valley you will be able to see all of these. The four bright planets are easy to see. You don’t have to go get outside of the bowl, you don’t have to go to a really dark skies to see them,” said Kerr.
The next time we’ll see one of these planetary parades will be in the year 2034, so if you want to see it now make sure you get out in the next couple of weeks.
The four planets can be seen after sunset and will appear for about 3 hours before Venus and Saturn set.
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