'PlanetenParade' appears on the starry sky: four planets visible tonight with naked eye
If the clouds do not throw a spanner in the works, tonight, Friday, four planets can be seen at the sky at the same time: Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. That has been going on for several weeks and will continue even in the coming days. They were given the company of Neptunus and Uranus, but they seem too weak and can only be seen with a stargazer. The 'planet parade' is now at a peak, because Mercury may also be visible.
The phenomenon has been going on for a month. « The six planets are now the least far apart, » explains Philippe Mollet of Volksstenrenwacht Mira in Grimbergen. « And now Mercury – per star viewer – is also added seventh ».
Such 'planet parade' with seven planets is exceptional, because each of them has a different turning time around the sun. Mercury takes almost 88 days to complete the round and Venus 224.7 days, while Mars takes a earth's year, 320 days and 18.2 hours. The gas giants Jupiter and Saturn take even longer because they are further from the sun. Jupiter makes a round around the sun in 11.86 years and Saturn does that in 29.5 years. “In terms of visibility, we are almost lost Saturn, but that is made up for the possible visibility of Mercury. It is very close to the sun, « says Mollet.
Compared to the earth, Mars can be seen in the east, while Jupiter stands south and all in the west you will find Saturn and Venus, who are close together.
After sunset
You should view the planets in the early evening: an hour after sunset when it is dusk, but not really dark. And you may have only a few minutes. “Tonight is a better evening to perceive than tomorrow. An ideal resit is possible on Sunday evening. ”
Read too. “If you can do in the coming days, stand in your garden at 7 pm and look up”
It goes without saying that perception is better in places with little light pollution. “Light nuisance is always a concern, but all planets up to Saturn must be seen normally with the naked eye. Remember that we have already held star viewing evenings with the People's Starmen near the Brussels Grote Markt, perhaps the brightly illuminated place in the country. ”
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