INDIANAPOLIS — You'll be able to see multiple planets in the night sky from January into February.
Dr. Aarran Shaw, director of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium at Butler University, described the situation.
"With the naked eye, you should be able to see Mars, you should be able to see Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter," he said. "I like to use the term 'planetary parade,' because it's a moment where all the planets appear to be lined up in the sky."
You'll be able to see these planets at nighttime anywhere in the world, including right here in central Indiana.
"This event in itself isn't particularly rare," continued Dr. Shaw. "The planets all exist in the same kind of plane in the sky anyway, so they're always what we might call 'in a line.'"
If seeing multiple planets at the same time isn't that rare, then why the hype?
"The great thing about this planetary parade is that all of these planets are visible at an accessible time," Dr. Shaw explained. "You can go out at 7 p.m. and be able to see all these planets, rather than waiting until, say, 1 o'clock in the morning."
If you have never looked at the night sky before, there are several apps you can download on your phone. The apps will use your location to highlight what stars and planets are visible in the sky above you.
If you know your cardinal directions, you'll be able to find the planets easily.
"Look toward the west after sunset, and just look just above where the sun has set. You'll see Saturn and Venus easily," Dr. Shaw said. "On the opposite side, in the east, you'll see that Mars has just risen, and then towards the south, southeast, you'll see Jupiter as well."
Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter are some of the brighter planets.
"Just take it all in," Dr. Shaw says. "Once you notice one really really bright planet, you'll start to notice even more of them."
Neptune and Uranus are not as bright, but they could also be visible during this event with the help of binoculars or a telescope.
The event will last several weeks. You will want to continue to keep an eye on the sky in February.
"This planetary parade may get even better in late February when Mercury makes an appearance," said Dr. Shaw. "If you happen to have binoculars or a telescope, you'll be able to see all seven of the planets."
Perhaps no one is more excited about this than Dr. Shaw. He says events like this remind him why he got his start in astronomy.
"The fact that you can go outside and look at a distant world, and see it with your naked eye... of course I get excited about this stuff," he said with a smile.
You'll be able to see the parade of planets from your own backyard.
If you're interested in attending an event at the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium, which includes seeing the planets through Indiana's largest telescope, you can find more information here.
