The moon and its planetary pals are putting up quite a show and on Sunday, 12 December, and stargazers will be provided with a spectacular celestial showcase.
From 6-10 December, one will be able to see three planets, and then on 12 December, you will be able to see five planets.
In addition to this, there will also be a crescent moon, making it easier to see the planets.
Wondering what’s going on, then read on.
According to astronomers, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus and the moon will line up and appear to the naked eye.
The moon started off the week next to Venus, and as the week progresses, it will continue to move up the chain, passing by Saturn and Jupiter. These close encounters will be great opportunities for photographers and stargazers with a telescope hoping to see a planet and the moon in the same field of view.
As per a report in Fox4, the St Louis Astronomy Facebook page said the best time to observe the five planets together will be after sunset on 12 December where Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and the moon will be visible to the naked eye.
It added that the only thing which be required is cloud-free weather and a pair of binoculars or a small telescope to see Neptune, Uranus, Ceres (a dwarf planet) and Pallas (a large asteroid).
The sighting of the five planets had taken place last year too on 19 July. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were visible to people without the need for a telescope.
If that isn’t enough of a reason to look up, the Geminid meteor shower will also streak through the sky.
According to NASA, the Geminids, which happen every December, are “one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers.”
Peter Brown, an astronomy professor at Western University in London, Ontario, who studies meteor showers goes further, calling it the “strongest meteor shower of the year.”
With inputs from agencies
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