Michigan stargazers with the fortitude to spend time outside this month are in for a treat.
Six planets will “align” in the sky for a planet parade, with four of them visible to the naked eye after sundown.
Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars are bright enough to spot without optical help, according to EarthSky. Uranus and Neptune are not as bright and will require high-powered binoculars or a telescope to see.
Planets always appear along a line known as the ecliptic, according to NASA, so the “alignment” isn’t special, but seeing four or five bright planets at once, which doesn’t happen annually, is unusual.
Here are some tips for stargazers to enjoy the show this month.
This chart is showing the four bright planets visible in late January and early February. The green line represents the sun’s path in the daytime, where the planets lie, featured on earthsky.org.
What planets are easy to see in the night sky?
The five brightest planets can be spotted in the night sky. Mercury is also considered a bright planet, but since it is closest to the sun it is difficult to see. The others are:
What planets are aligned in January?
This week, view the six planets — Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Uranus and Neptune.
More: When are the full moons of 2025? Here’s what to know
Where should I look in the sky?
In the first couple of hours after dark, Venus and Saturn will be in the southwest, Jupiter high overhead and Mars in the east, said NASA.
Mars is in opposition through the entire month of January, meaning it will be directly opposite the Sun from Earth and will shine brightly all night.
The best places to view planets in Michigan
Michigan is home to six dark sky state parks, three international dark sky parks and an international dark sky sanctuary.
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Keweenaw Dark Sky Park in Keweenaw County and Dr. T.K. Lawless Park in Cass County are international spots. And, finally, the Beaver Island State Wildlife Research Area is an international sanctuary.
Apps to download for stargazing
Here are nine apps for skygazing, including their unique quality for Apple or Android users, according to Space.com.
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SkySafari 7 Pro, ranked best for serious astronomers, users can plan stargazing trips.
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PhotoPills, best for capturing photos and targeting a cosmic event.
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Night Sky 11, users are able to point their phone up at the sky to see a grid of information, labeling stars.
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NASA app, best for viewing recent NASA photos and information about NASA missions.
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Stellarium Mobile Plus, best for viewing a realistic photos and maps.
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Star Walk 2, suggested for beginners for its easy use and straightforward information.
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SkyView, features an interactive map that helps users locate and learn more about the stars.
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Star Chart, best free app for identifying constellations.
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Sky Tonight, with a free version it is best for realistic and immersive options for learning.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
USA Today contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Sky gaze for 6 planets aligning this month. How to see them
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