Five will line up in the night sky this week

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NEW YORK — Keep an eye on the skies this week for your chance to see a planetary gathering place.

Five planets – Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus and Mars – will align near the moon.

Where and when can you see them?

The best day to catch the whole group is Tuesday. You’ll want to look toward the western horizon just after sunset, said NASA astronomer Bill Cooke.

The planets will stretch from the horizon line to about the middle of the night sky. But don’t be late: Mercury and Jupiter will quickly dip below the horizon about half an hour after sunset.

The expanse of five planets can be seen from anywhere on Earth, as long as you have clear skies and a view to the west.

“That is the beauty of these planetary alignments. It doesn’t take much,” Cooke said.

Do I need binoculars?

Maybe. Jupiter, Venus and Mars will be fairly easy to see since they shine so brightly, Cooke said. Venus will be one of the brightest things in the sky and Mars will be close to the moon with a reddish glow. Mercury and Uranus could be harder to spot, as they will be dimmer. You will probably need to take a pair of binoculars.

If you’re a “planet collector,” it’s a rare chance to see Uranus, which isn’t usually visible, Cooke said. Look for its green glow just above Venus.

Does this happen often?

Different numbers and groups of planets line up in the sky from time to time. There was an alignment of five planets last summer and there is another one in June, with a slightly different composition.

This type of alignment occurs when the orbits of the planets align on one side of the sun from Earth’s perspective, Cooke said.

The Associated Press Department of Health and Science receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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