5 - Count ‘Em - 5

I don’t even qualify to call myself an amateur astronomer, but I do enjoy looking at the sky on a clear night.  Right now is a good time to look, because we are having an “Age of Aquarius” moment, with four planets and the Moon all aligned across the sky.

Last night, I was able to see three planets – Jupiter, Venus and Mars – from my back yard.  That was remarkable because it seems that every recent celestial event  from eclipses to meteor showers has been invisible at the Boggy Thicket due to heavy clouds.  Tonight is supposed to be clear, and according to the information below, I might be able to see five planets tonight.

If the skies clear off at sunset on any of the next several days, sky watchers will be rewarded with an unusual planetary display.

Jupiter and Venus are high in the southwestern sky and easy to spot. Venus is the brightest planet of the pair. They are moving closer together each night and will be within 3.3 degrees of each other on March 15.

Currently, the moon is moving east from the pair each night.

Mercury is hovering above the western horizon in the late twilight, but will disappear in about a week. To find Mercury, follow a line created by the moon, Jupiter and Venus along the plane of the solar system to see yellowish Mercury in the fading light.

In addition, reddish Mars is rising just after sunset in the eastern sky, also on the same line as the other planets and the moon. All four planets are currently visible at the same time.

Saturn is rising during the evening as well and is located near the star Spica in Virgo.  Virgo can be found by using the Big Dipper’s “handle” stars as a pointer.  Because of the angles and distances involved, Saturn’s glow is dim right now, so it may be hard to identify.