Get ready, Scots! A stunning celestial event is coming, with six planets visible in the night sky, perfect for stargazing this January.
St Andrews: If you’re into stargazing, you’re in for a treat! This January, six planets will be visible in the night sky, and it’s going to be quite a show. Dr. Alexander Scholz from the University of St Andrews is super excited about it.
He mentioned that while seeing one planet is common, spotting two or three at once happens often. But in January 2025, we’ll get to see six planets all at once, and it’ll be easy to catch them in the early evening.
So, what can you expect to see? Well, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye. If you have a telescope, you can also catch a glimpse of Neptune and Uranus, but Mercury will be the only one missing from the lineup.
Dr. Scholz pointed out that Venus is the bright star in the west right after sunset, while Saturn is nearby but not as bright. Jupiter will be shining high in the sky, and Mars will be low on the eastern horizon, gradually rising as the night goes on.
He also shared that with a good pair of binoculars, you can see Jupiter’s four Galilean moons dancing around it. And if you have a slightly bigger telescope, you’ll be able to see Saturn’s stunning rings!
All these planets follow the same path across the sky, known as the ecliptic, because they all orbit the Sun in the same plane. It’s fascinating to think they all formed around the same time, about four and a half billion years ago.
Dr. Scholz added that this alignment of planets is a reminder that they’re all siblings, formed from the same swirling gas and dust. Astronomers at the University of St Andrews are even studying how planets are born in other parts of the galaxy.
So, mark your calendars! The great planet parade of 2025 is coming soon, and even if you miss it this week, don’t worry. The planets will be around for a while, so you’ll have plenty of chances to catch them!
