What time will the planets align?

FIVE planets are aligning for the first space phenomenon of its kind in 18 years.

And the rare planet parade is expected to be the only one for another several decades to come.

Astronomy experts said seeing three planets line-up, known as a conjunction, is normal but five is rarer.

Sky and Telescope magazine added: “And what’s even more remarkable about this month’s lineup is that the planets are arranged in their natural order from the sun.”

The planets have been regular sights in the morning sky this year but are beginning to break-up.

By September, two of them will will no longer be morning objects for most observers, according to space authority Nasa.

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What time will the planets align?

The ‘planet parade’ started this month and will be visible above the eastern horizon for the rest of June.

But the best time to see it without a telescope will be this morning.

According to BBC Science Focus, the best time to see it will be between 3:39 a.m. and sunrise at 4:43 a.m this morning.

Saturn rose around 11.21pm last night for those based in New York. Jupier was set to follow at 1.05am, with Mars appearing at 1.44am, Venus at 3.33am and Mercury at 4.11am.

Astronomer Michelle Nichols told LiveScience: “This is early morning, so you do have to set the alarm in order to do it — but it’s just a fun time to go see planets in the sky.”

On cloud-free mornings, the alignment will be best seen up to an hour before sunrise.

Which planets will align?

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will be aligning.

And they will appear across the sky from low in the east to higher in the south.

Mercury has been the hardest to spot early in the month, with viewers needing an unobstructed eastern horizon and binoculars.

Sky and Telescope added: “As the month wears on, Mercury climbs higher and brightens significantly, making it easier to see and thus completing the planetary line-up.”

How long will the planet alignment last?

The alignment will last all month. Experts say the five planets may not align again like this until 2040.