Best stargazing event of 2024: Here’s everything you must learn about Planet Parade

This year’s sky has been quite eventful. It isn’t nice to forget the devil comet! Next, came a rare solar total eclipse and then the prominent northern lights or aurora borealis visible over several countries. But the next phenomenon could be even more exciting.

It’s a Planetary Parade or Parade of Planets or Planet Parade – irrespective of the terms you use to describe the phenomenon, the event is quite rare. During this event, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are set to align in the sky.

Boxes to check before 2024 Planet Parade

In a planet parade, several planets appear to line up in a straight line or come close together in the sky from the perspective of planet Earth. To observe this visual phenomenon, people in the US can start looking at the sky at about 20 minutes before sunrise on June 3.

This time before sunrise is most of the planets will be most visible. People in Abu Dhabi, Sao Paulo, New Delhi, Tokyo, Mexico, Sydney, Hong Kong and Athens, the dates for the stargazing event are May 30, May 27, June 3, June 2, May 29, May 28, May 30 and June 2.

Planets like Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen with the naked eye. But Neptune and Uranus usually pose difficulties and require the aid of a telescope or powerful binoculars. It is better to seek out locations with clear views of the horizon and minimal light pollution.

Full planetary alignments are extremely rare

Is it rare for six planets to align? Let’s understand Planetary Parades (as per Star Walk). 2-planet alignments are quite common, happening multiple times annually. 3-planet alignments, on the other hand, are less frequent and occur every handful of years.

5-planet alignments occur every 10-20 years and 6-planet alignments (like the upcoming one) happen roughly every 20 years. But full planetary alignments involving all eight planets are extremely rare and can take thousands of years to occur.