If you've been unable to drag your tired tush out of bed thus far to see the alignment of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, you may be wondering, "Where can I see the planets aligned?" Well, here's the good news — the odds are in your favor that wherever you are, you'll be able to catch a glimpse of this incredibly cool celestial event. The bad news? It definitely requires dragging yourself out of bed.
Having said that, it's totally worth it. Planetary alignments of this magnitude don't come along every day, you know. In fact, the last alignment of this kind occurred a decade ago and the next won't be until later this year — but that one won't be nearly as visible for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere.
Fortunately for all of us who don't necessarily rise with the sun, there is still time to catch sight of this phenomenon. Mars joined Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn on Jan. 20 to kick off this planetary alignment, which will linger for an entire month and end on Feb. 20. So if you're interested in being the early bird to this celestial worm, here's what's required to view the alignment:
1. Set Your Alarm-Slash-Coffee-Maker
Prepare your favorite brew to percolate, because if you want to see the planetary alignment you have to do it on the planets' time — and that's about 45 minutes before sunrise, or roughly 6:45 a.m. So wake up early and pour yourself a hot cup of coffee. If the caffeine doesn't wake you up, surely the mystical sight of five planets in alignment will.
2. Have Eyes
Aside from those beautiful eyeballs of yours, no special equipment is required to see the planetary alignment. Simply look up, and the planets should clearly be visible stretching across the dawn sky. They look like stars, only bigger and brighter. Your best bet for unobstructed views is flat open spaces without the hindrance of big buildings.
3. Be In A Place With Minimal Light Pollution
If you live in a big city or other densely populated area, light pollution could be the hitch in your giddy up. Just as the planets are not visible when the sun is up, they cannot be seen in the bask of excessive artificial light either. Camping trip, anyone?
4. Possess A Basic Grasp Of Direction
The planets will stretch out diagonally across the horizon, so you should be on solid footing if you just look toward the southeast. If you have no idea which direction is southeast, A) your phone probably has a compass app, and B) your chances of survival in the zombie apocalypse are looking slim.
5. Not Be In The North Pole
Sorry 'bout your luck, Santa Claus — while the planets will be visible from just about anywhere on the globe, that does not include the North Pole.
Images: Giphy (5)
