Five planets will pass through the sky on Monday, March 27. This rare phenomenon will be observable at nightfall. Reserve your evening for this nocturnal festival.
The sky sometimes reserves beautiful surprises. This Monday, March 27, you will have the opportunity to see a group of five planets pass through the night, visible to the naked eye. It won’t take long after sunset to see Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Uranus rising alone or in duos in order of appearance. The star cluster M35, which is found in the constellation Gemini will join the party as well.
How to see this night parade
Mercury and Jupiter will open the ball. Both planets will appear about 20 minutes after sunset, heading west. But beware, due to their low intensity, it will be difficult to distinguish them with the naked eye, due to the twilight light. Don’t panic, a pair of binoculars will do the trick. The two stars will be visible for about 30 minutes.
Then comes Venus, easier to find. It will appear about an hour after sunset, higher in the sky. She will stay until midnight before going to bed in her turn. Mars, more easily visible by its red glow, shouldn’t be hard to find. It is located a little above the Moon which, incidentally, will also join the party with its first crescent.
For star cluster M35, you will need to move your eyes to the left of Mars. Finally, for Uranus which closes this dance, you will need a device to see it (binoculars, telescope) because it is only very visible to the naked eye. The landmark for finding Uranus is Venus. The latter will be at the top left of Uranus. Its color is easily distinguished by its greenish blue appearance.
To help you in your exploration of the sky, “Sky and Space-The+” is the essential application. It offers you a 3D map of the sky, games, as well as advice for observing the celestial vault.