June Global Parade: What you’ll see – and what you won’t see

DALLAS (AP) — Six planets will connect before dawn on June 3 in what is called a planetary parade. But the spectacle will not be as eye-catching as expected: only two planets will be visible to the naked eye.

Here’s what you need to know about this fairly common celestial event.

WHAT IS A PARADE OF PLANETS?

The planets in our solar system orbit the sun at an angle. Occasionally, several align on the right side of the sun to be visible through a narrow band of Earth’s sky.

The frequency of the phenomenon depends on the number of planets aligned and whether or not they are visible without binoculars or a telescope. A handful of planets are usually found in the night sky at any given time, although they may be obscured below the horizon or obscured by sunlight.

WHAT WILL BE VISIBLE DURING THE PLANET PARADE?

Unfortunately, this planetary parade of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune won’t offer much of a view.

“The sun is going to photograph the parade,” said Ronald Gamble, a theoretical astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Mercury and Jupiter will be too close to the horizon to be visible, obscured by the rising sun. Uranus and Neptune can only be seen with a telescope, although Uranus may be too close to the sun to be visible.

Early risers can always look east to spot a waning crescent moon in the lower left, followed by a faintly red Mars and a pale yellow dot of Saturn. Both planets are already visible early in the morning and will be visible for much of the summer.

WHAT ELSE CAN I OBSERVE IN THE SKY THIS SUMMER?

Even if June’s planetary parade isn’t dazzling, the night sky still offers wonders to spot.

Summer provides an ideal time to explore the night sky with a stargazing or planet app, said Michelle Nichols of Chicago’s Adler Planetarium.

And the annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak in mid-August with rapid streaks of light. Nichols recommends viewing the shower away from city lights and allowing your eyes to adjust to the darkness for optimal viewing.