Don't miss the real planet parade arriving late June
While some reports promised a massive planetary lineup for early June, the true spectacle is still on its way. After a period of limited visibility, a much more impressive alignment of celestial bodies is set to grace the morning sky toward the end of the month.
Recent excitement regarding a 'planet parade' in early June turned out to be somewhat exaggerated. While some online sources suggested six planets would be visible, the reality is much more modest. In the first week of June, only two planets—Mars and Saturn—are actually visible to the naked eye. Other planets like Mercury and Jupiter remain hidden below the horizon during morning twilight, while the distant giants Uranus and Neptune are far too faint to be seen without the aid of a telescope.
However, a much more significant event is approaching. On June 29, a genuine alignment will occur as Saturn, the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter line up across the morning sky. This celestial arrangement is part of a larger transition; for instance, Jupiter re-emerges as a morning object during the final week of June after having passed behind the Sun from our perspective on Earth. By June 24, Jupiter can be found roughly 10 degrees above the horizon, and it continues to climb higher as July approaches.
For those watching the skies, distinguishing between planets and stars is a useful skill. The primary tell is stability: planets tend to shine with a steady light, whereas stars appear to twinkle due to atmospheric distortion. If you use binoculars, you might even see that planets are not mere points of light, but tiny disks or crescents. Other notable moments in June include June 2, when a reddish Mars sits just below a crescent Moon, and June 27, when the Moon and Saturn appear so close in the southern sky that they can fit within a single binocular field of view.
Source: What's Up: June 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA
