More than half the solar system’s planets will align Monday in a rarely seen spectacle, arcing across a corner of the night sky.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus will parade across the sky, accompanied by the moon and a possible star cluster. While the scenario will be visible to the naked eye, astronomers recommend breaking out the binoculars or a telescope for a more detailed view.
The planets will be arrayed across the western horizon in an arc about 20 to 25 minutes after Monday’s sunset, according to Space.com, starting with Mercury and Jupiter. However, twilight’s brightness could mask them, Space.com warned, adding that the viewing window is only about 25 to 30 minutes.
The planets will also be so close to the horizon that any structure or sightline glitch could obscure them. “Your best option is looking out over a westward-facing shoreline that is