5 planets lined up at the weekend..a rare celestial scene that occurs once every 19 years

A rare display of planets will be visible in the dawn sky this weekend for sky watchers around the world.

Just before sunrise, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye in the sky on June 24, 2022.

Hassan Al Hariri, CEO of the Dubai Astronomy Group, said in a report published by the “Khaleej Times”: “It is a rare astronomical phenomenon to see this group, so enthusiasts will need to wake up as the dawn begins and the sky rises, and bear in mind that it will take decades before you have Another opportunity to see the planets and the moon arranged this way, so, don’t miss this opportunity.”

He explained that the best views would be either from an area high above any tall buildings or trees, or from the beach where you can watch the open waters to the flat sea horizon.

Explaining this rare phenomenon, Sarath Raj, Project Manager at Amity Satellite Station Dubai, says that the term “planetary conjunction” refers to the alignment of planets in the same region of the sky.

The planets revolve around the sun along different paths at different speeds, and not all planets orbit in the same plane, instead, they oscillate in three-dimensional space in different orbits, so it does not align in an exact sense, but means that some planets are located in the same region of the sky wide”.

In astronomy, a conjunction occurs when two celestial bodies have the same line, and a conjunction of five planets occurs once every 19 years.

“There are 3 planets lining one side of the sun twice a year, 4 planets once a year, 5 planets once every 19 years, and all eight planets once every 170 years,” Raj adds.

The five planets were last lined up in December 2004, and experts revealed that the next alignment won’t happen until 2040 due to their different orbits and inclinations.

They also show that Mercury will be weaker early in the month and difficult to detect without a binocular, Venus will appear bright above the horizon, while in the southeast the red planet Mars near Jupiter will be visible, Saturn will be visible to the south and Mercury will be faint against the sunrise and difficult to see.

Mercury is closest to the sun and appears lower on the horizon, while Saturn is farthest and appears high in the sky.

On a clear morning, the planets will be visible about 45-60 minutes before sunrise, and although these planets can be seen with the naked eye, they will be more visible when using binoculars and will not be obstructed by sunlight due to their proximity to the horizon, says Raj.