Early tomorrow morning, Vietnamese people should look up at the sky to watch 6 planets 'parade'

The six planets of the solar system will line up in the sky tomorrow morning, June 3, creating a spectacular sight for astronomy lovers. How to observe in Vietnam?

6 planets aligned in the sky

According to information from the Ho Chi Minh City Amateur Astronomy Club (HAAC), in the first days of June, right before sunrise, people in the northern hemisphere (including Vietnam) can see 6 planets almost aligned in the eastern sky.

Simulated image of 6 planets aligning on June 3, 2024. Note, Neptune and Uranus have been exaggerated in brightness in the image, so we can easily visualize their positions.

Starwalk

Accordingly, Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune and Saturn will appear to lie in a straight line from the northeastern horizon to near the top of the head. However, not all of these planets can be seen with the naked eye. HAAC informs that the mornings of June 3 - June 5 are the most favorable times to observe the phenomenon, because Mercury and Jupiter are far enough from the sun to observe. On the morning of June 3, Jupiter and Mercury will be close to the eastern horizon a few minutes before sunrise, above us we can see Mars with its characteristic red color, and Saturn is highest near the top of the head. The crescent moon at the end of the month will also appear next to these planets, adding to the beauty of the meeting.

How does Vietnam observe the phenomenon?

According to Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, former head of the Ho Chi Minh City Amateur Astronomy Club, the best time to observe this phenomenon is from 5:00 to 5:15 a.m. before sunrise. “To observe planets with high brightness such as Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, we can completely use the naked eye to recognize them as bright stars, besides, the planets have the special characteristic of almost not blinking compared to other normal stars,” said Mr. Tuan. Through a small, common telescope, we can see the rings of Saturn, the 4 satellites of Jupiter, the red color on the surface of Mars or the deficient form of Mercury.

You may need a star map tool along with photography to recognize Uranus and Neptune.

HUY HYUNH

Uranus and Neptune are difficult to see even with a small telescope, and you may need a star map tool and photography techniques to spot them in photos as small blue dots. However, in early June, Jupiter and Mercury are very close to the horizon, only appearing when the sky is already bright, so you may need small binoculars to spot them through the clouds or smog in big cities. Experts say that for the best viewing, we should choose a location with a clear view close to the eastern horizon, as far away from big cities as possible so as not to be affected by smog near the horizon. As with other astronomical observations, we also need favorable weather, even the brightest planets like Jupiter and Saturn have difficulty penetrating thick clouds.

Is the phenomenon rare?

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan said that unlike rumors on the internet, the phenomenon of planets aligning in the sky is not too rare. The planets have different cycles of movement around the sun and sometimes they will be close to each other, on the same side with the center being the sun when viewed from the earth. "This is just a phenomenon of alignment in the sky due to the perspective of the view from the earth, it will happen once every few years with different planets. In mid-June, Mercury will move closer to the sun that we will no longer be able to see it, however, Jupiter will rise higher and higher away from the sun and the phenomenon of 5 planets aligning will continue to happen a few months later", Mr. Tuan added. On August 28, 2024, Mercury will return with 5 planets, to create a scene of 6 planets aligning once again. In particular, on February 28, 2025, we can see all 7 planets aligned in perspective (Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars). For new observers who are not familiar with the positions of the planets, the former head of the Ho Chi Minh City Amateur Astronomy Club recommends that observers download sky simulation applications such as Starwalk, Skysafari, Stellarium to help you find planets in the sky.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/rang-sang-mai-nguoi-viet-hay-nhin-len-bau-troi-ngam-6-hanh-tinh-dieu-hanh-185240530103043803.htm