You may be able to watch the moon block with resonance Saturn transient Mercury Monday (February 28), but it will be quite a challenge.
The three worlds will gather near the southeast horizon as the sun rises. Saturn has a magnitude of 0.7 on the Richter scale, and Mercury is even brighter – 0.1. (For perspective, most people can see the stars down to the size 6 in dark sky conditions.)
According to the Skywatch website At-The-Sky.org, none of the conjunction of the Moon and planets will be visible from New York City (which, admittedly, has a fair share of light pollution intrusion) since the two worlds will be within five degrees of the horizon at dawn. For reference, the width of your clenched fist at an arm’s length is about 10 degrees. Closer to the equator and further south, viewing conditions will be better, as Mercury and Saturn will be higher in the sky before the sun rises and the planets fade into daylight.
But you may be lucky with the right equipment or in a darker or different area. If you are looking for a binocular or telescope to see the planets in the night sky, check out our guide to find out Best binoculars deals and the Best telescope deals now. If you need equipment, consider The best cameras for astrophotography And the Best lenses for astrophotography To prepare for the next planet scene.
Related: The brightest planets in the night sky: how to see them (and when)
See Saturn, Mercury and the Moon?
If you take a picture of Saturn, Mercury and the Moon, let us know! You can send photos and comments in [email protected].
However, you will still have chances to discover other planets. The moon that will arrive new stage On Wednesday (March 2), it may be visible through the thick atmosphere near our horizon. Beyond that, you can spot a bright Mars (in red) and Venus (Above Mars, it shimmers in white.)
Venus and Mars are easily visible to the naked eye and were in close (or conjunct) alignment with the moon on Sunday (February 27). Worlds usually come close together in Earth’s sky because the planets, moon, and sun all share the same approximate path, called ecliptic.
If you’d like more stare at the planets, NASA urges you to also go out in the evening to look for Jupiter in the twilight sky. Your last chance to easily see a planet will be in the early evening through August, according to the agency He said in a statement; This period will be the first time since 2018 with no bright planets after sunset.
“The post-sunset sky will be essentially planet-free with the naked eye until August, when Saturn begins to rise in the east at sunset,” NASA wrote. “There is a short period, though, in April and May when you might be able to spot Mercury as it briefly pops above the horizon.”
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