Observe the celestial spectacle on Tuesday night, as 'shooting stars' grace the sky
Get ready, skywatchers! Two celestial events are set to captivate the night sky in the coming months. First, a mesmerizing "planet parade" will take place before sunrise in October 2028, and second, the annual Perseid meteor shower will coincide with the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on Aug. 12.
The upcoming "planet parade" in October 2028 promises to be an extraordinary spectacle, featuring a lineup of five planets visible to the naked eye before sunrise. To catch this cosmic gathering, keep your eyes on the eastern horizon about an hour before dawn. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and a couple more planets will be aligned, with Mercury rising near constellations such as Cancer. However, Uranus and Neptune, while part of the parade, may require binoculars or a telescope for viewing[1][2].
The celestial extravaganza begins earlier this year, with the Perseid meteor shower coinciding with the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, and the arrival of Mercury, all in the pre-dawn sky on Aug. 12. The close conjunction of Venus and Jupiter will occur about an hour before sunrise, with the planets appearing close enough to appear as one point of light from a little finger held at arm's length. This spectacle will take place in the eastern sky, in the constellation Gemini[1][2].
Despite Venus being brighter, Jupiter will appear to be about twice as big as Venus[1][2]. Venus will shine at -3.9 magnitude, making it around six times brighter than Jupiter, which will shine at -1.9 magnitude. Mercury, while harder to spot, will become easier to see as it rises higher into the pre-dawn sky after the Venus-Jupiter conjunction.
Unfortunately, the Perseid meteor shower may not be as spectacular this year due to bright moonlight restricting the view of its 50-75 meteors per hour on the peak night. The best viewing nights for the Perseid meteor shower will likely be the nights preceding and following the peak night[1][2].
As we look forward to these celestial events, remember to consult local astronomical resources for the exact dates and times in your location. Happy stargazing!
[1] Space.com [2] Sky & Telescope
- The planet parade in October 2028 promises to be an exciting event in the field of space-and-astronomy, providing an opportunity for skywatchers to observe a lineup of planets aligned in the eastern horizon before sunrise, including Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and possibly Uranus and Neptune with the aid of binoculars or a telescope, contributing to scientific knowledge about planet alignment.
- In August 2025, the environment-science community might witness a fascinating celestial scene, with the Perseid meteor shower coinciding with the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in the eastern sky, accompanied by the arrival of Mercury, offering a chance for stargazers to study the interactions among these planets, as their brightness and positions contrast against the dark night sky.
