Everyone’s talking about it on social media: A great planetary alignment that’s coming sometime this month — there are a few different dates being thrown around. Rumor has it that as many as six planets will be in a line and visible in the night sky.
Unfortunately, this cosmic event may be a cosmic letdown if you’re not informed of what you’ll actually see when you look to the stars.
While the planets won’t align in the sky — from our perspective, at least — they will offer quite the sight at the end of January. Here’s what to know.
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Despite what some reports suggest, the upcoming planetary alignment won’t be all that special. The planets will appear to line up — but no more than usual.
The planets in our solar system orbit the sun in more or less the same flat plane as the Earth, according to EarthSky.org, called the ecliptic. The celestial bodies near us, the sun and the moon and the planets, all seem to arc across the sky every day and night from east to west on that same imaginary track.
From the Earth’s surface, the planets always appear somewhere along that line, the same one the sun and moon follow, if not a ruler-straight one.
But there will be a lot of them visible at the same time this month.
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Sky full of planets in January
In January 2025, six planets will be visible in the night sky, four of them with the naked eye. They will not be in a straight line; two will be on one side of the sky, and the others will be on the opposite side.
In the first few hours after dark all month, you’ll be able to see Venus and Saturn in the southwest, Jupiter high overhead, and Mars in the east, according to NASA. If you have a telescope and an app to help find them, you can also see Uranus and Neptune.
Nothing special is happening on Jan. 25, but Venus and Saturn will be getting closer in January, called a “conjunction.” On the nights of Jan. 17 and 18, they’ll appear within a couple of finger widths of each other, according to NASA. They’ll still be hundreds of millions of miles apart, of course, but they’ll look very close.
How to view Venus-Saturn conjunction
To spot Venus and Saturn appear to close the distance between them in the night sky, follow these steps on the nights of Jan. 17 and 18:
- Look to the southwest around an hour after sunset, around 6:45 p.m. CT.
- Venus will be the brightest object in the sky tonight, aside from the moon.
- To the left of Venus, brighter than the stars but not at the same level as Venus, you’ll find Saturn.
- The two planets will remain visible to the naked eye for about three and a half hours.
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Here are some of the other celestial phenomena happening this year, according to Smithsonian Magazine:
- Jan. 15-16: Mars reached opposition, a point of peak viewing in which Mars, Earth and the Sun align so the side of Mars facing Earth is completely illuminated by the Sun.
- Feb. 28: All seven planets will appear to align in the sky in what’s known as a “planetary parade.”
- March 14: A total lunar eclipse will cast a deep red color over the full moon as it passes through Earth’s shadow. Totality will last for just over one hour. March’s full moon will also be a micromoon, appearing smaller and dimmer than usual as it reaches the point in its orbit farthest from Earth.
- March 29: In a partial solar eclipse, the moon will partly block the Sun. Canada will get some of the best views, with up to 93% coverage of the Sun.
- April 21-22: The annual Lyrid meteor shower will peak, offering views of 10 to 15 meteors per hour.
- Aug. 12-13: Another annual phenomenon, the Perseid meteor shower will peak. Though it typically offers views of 100 meteors or more per hour, 2025’s shower occurs days after the full moon and will likely affect visibility of the fainter meteors.
- Sept. 21: Saturn will reach opposition, making its viewing the biggest and brightest of the year. The ringed planet will align with Earth and the Sun, and the side of Saturn facing Earth will be completely illuminated by the Sun.
- Oct. 8: Though the annual Draconid meteor shower tends to be a relatively smaller one, with a maximum of 10 meteors per hour, experts predict 2025 could see heightened activity with a meteor outburst.
- Oct. 22: The annual Orionid meteor shower has a longer duration of nearly two months. Its peak will see 10 to 20 meteors per hour, with the coinciding new moon producing dark skies and optimal viewing conditions.
- Nov. 5: The closest supermoon of the year will appear in the sky, only 221,965 miles from Earth.
- Dec. 13: Peak viewing of the annual Geminid meteor shower will offer views of a staggering 120 meteors per hour. Although a waning crescent moon may wash out the meteors a bit, viewing is expected to be better than last year’s — which almost completely lined up with a full moon.
If you’re a fan of stargazing, you won’t want to miss the upcoming Venus-Saturn conjunction and planetary alignment happening in the night sky. On December 11th, Venus and Saturn will appear incredibly close together, creating a stunning celestial sight that you won’t want to miss.
In addition to the Venus-Saturn conjunction, there will also be a planetary alignment involving Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury, making for a truly spectacular display in the night sky. This rare event is a must-see for any astronomy enthusiast or anyone looking to marvel at the beauty of the universe.
So mark your calendars and set your alarms for December 11th to catch a glimpse of the Venus-Saturn conjunction and planetary alignment. It’s sure to be a sight you won’t soon forget!
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