A ‘planet parade’ will be visible with the naked eye in NC this winter. How to see it
North Carolinians will be able to see a rare alignment of planets in the night sky this month.
During January 2025, a large planetary conjunction involving four planets — Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars — will be visible with the naked eye, according to NASA.
Here’s what to know about the unique solar occurrence — which NASA is calling the “planet parade” — happening this month.
How can you view the planets from NC?
▪ The four planets will be most visible together all month starting on Friday, Jan. 10, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
▪ The night of Tuesday, Jan. 21 will be the best time to see them during the evening, according to Forbes. That’s when the moon reaches its Last Quarter phase, rising at midnight.
“In the first couple of hours after dark, you’ll find Venus and Saturn in the southwest, Jupiter high overhead and Mars in the east,” NASA says. “Planets always appear in a long a line on the sky so the ’alignment’ isn’t special. What’s less common is seeing four or five bright planets at once, which doesn’t happen every year.”
▪ If you have an optical aid, such as a telescope or binoculars, you may also catch a glimpse of Uranus and Neptune, according to EarthSky.org, an online resource for astronomy information.
▪ You can use a light pollution map to help find darker spots that are better for ideal for stargazing.
What will the weather be like in NC in January?
The weather is expected be partly sunny during the day on Friday, Jan. 10, before dropping to below freezing in Charlotte and Raleigh, according to the National Weather Service. There is also a slight chance of snow across the state that night.
Conditions should be the same in the western North Carolina, with temperatures in the low 20s that night.
Inspired by a story from the Idaho Statesman.
This story was originally published January 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "A ‘planet parade’ will be visible with the naked eye in NC this winter. How to see it."
