5 Planets Align in Order, First Time in 18 years

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - For the first time in 18 years, 5 planets will align in the eastern sky, along the horizon, close to sunrise.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be visible during the early morning hours before sunrise, weather permitting of course, through the rest of June.

The best viewing will be this Friday morning, June 24th, with Mercury much easier to spot at that time. The waning crescent moon will be positioned between Venus and Mars. You can view this spectacle with the naked eye. The best time to view it is 4:30 am until about 5:15 am EDT.

Two or three planets strung across the sky is fairly common, but getting 5 planets aligned in their natural order is rare. What makes this event even more unique is the planets are visible in their natural order from the sun. This hasn’t happened since December of 2004.

In the next few months, the planets will appear to spread out farther and farther each morning. By September, Venus and Saturn will exit the stage.