Canadians will have a chance to spot a rare celestial phenomenon over the next few days from Wednesday to the 6th. planet They line up in the evening sky in what astronomers call a “planet parade.”

NASA says stargazers will be able to spot Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune appearing along the same arc in the western sky shortly after sunset.

Raymond Carlberg, Professor Emeritus astronomy A University of Toronto professor says the alignment is a “beautiful spectacle” of the structure of the solar system.

In Ontario, skywatchers can get the best views in northern and rural areas where there is less light pollution and a less obstructed view of the western horizon.

Viewers in urban areas may still pick up bright planets, but the entire lineup will be more clearly visible in dark skies.

“If you can go to a fairly dark place on the outskirts of a city, and even better if it’s on high ground, you can see the plane of the solar system where the planets extend out in a tilted line towards where the sun has just set,” Carlberg told Global News.

“It feels like you’re on a spaceship sailing through the solar system.”

Global News Chief Meteorologist Anthony Farnell added that now is a lucky time to see the planet with the naked eye, as it has just passed through a new moon phase and the amount of light in the sky is limited.

Anthony Farnell, chief meteorologist at Global News, said: “The moon will be full on February 1st. The next few days may be the best to see it while the moon is still very much in the sky.”

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Depending on cloud cover and local conditions, parts of the alignment may also be visible in other areas, including parts of the Prairies and Atlantic Canada.

You can see all six planets in Manitoba, and three of the six planets in Saskatchewan: Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus.

NASA says the best chance to see the planet will be about an hour after sunset starting Wednesday.

This alignment remains visible for several nights, giving skywatchers multiple opportunities to view it.

Four of the six planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) are bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Uranus and Neptune require binoculars or a small telescope.

Global News meteorologist Ross Hull said: “If the weather stays clear tonight and over the next few days, the chances of seeing a planetary parade will increase further.”

Recent snowfall across Ontario and parts of Saskatchewan and Winnipeg could make viewing more difficult as the snow reflects artificial light into the night sky.

“A large area of ​​Arctic high pressure will bring clear skies to much of Canada this weekend,” Farnell said. “However, this high pressure system also brings intense cold air, which limits the amount of time we can spend outside on January nights, especially this year of frigid temperatures.”

But Hull said the cold winter air often provides clearer views if the skies are clear.

Experts recommend dressing warmly, avoiding city lights when possible, and looking west just after sunset to watch for rare celestial displays.

When observing celestial objects in the night sky, the usual advice applies:

• Look for a location away from artificial city lights that can make it difficult to see objects in the night sky.
• Please wait approximately 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness before viewing.
• Viewing takes place near the horizon, so avoid tall buildings or trees that may obscure your view.

Carlberg added that there are many mobile phone apps that show the location of planets.

“You just hold your phone up to the sky in front of you and it tells you what’s out there,” he said. “Now we have small smart telescopes that do all the instructions for you.”

Carlberg points out that although planetary conjunctions occur every year, alignments involving this many planets are less common.

This planetary alignment can also be seen across much of the United States and parts of Mexico, as long as the skies are clear and there is an unobstructed view to the western horizon.

He also said Mercury will be added to the lineup on February 8, expanding the parade to include seven visible planets.

More extensive alignments involving five or more planets will not occur again until 2040.

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