Six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune – are expected to appear in an arc across the eastern and southern sky before sunrise tomorrow (12), according to the astronomy division of the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies.
Astronomers refer to the phenomenon as a “planet parade,” with the alignment considered a notable celestial event.
Four of the six planets should be visible to the naked eye, while binoculars will be required to observe Uranus and a telescope will be needed for Neptune.
The best viewing opportunity will be 60 to 90 minutes before sunrise, looking from the eastern horizon towards the south. With sunrise in Colombo expected at around 6 a.m. in mid-August, observers are advised to look between about 4.30 a.m. and 5.15 a.m.
Mars and Saturn should be relatively easy to spot. Mercury and Jupiter, however, will appear low on the eastern horizon and may be difficult to observe shortly before sunrise.
According to the institute mm, Sri Lanka’s location close to the equator provides favourable viewing conditions for the alignment.
Another major astronomical event, the Perseid meteor shower, will also reach its peak during the same period, from the night of Aug. 12 to the early hours of Aug. 13.
The Perseids are associated with debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862 and takes about 133 years to orbit the sun. The meteor shower appears to originate from the direction of the Perseus constellation.
This year’s peak is expected to coincide with a new moon, providing darker skies and favourable conditions for observation.
Under clear skies, observers could see up to 100 meteors per hour.
For the best view of the Perseids, observers are advised to look towards the northeastern sky after midnight tomorrow (12) and the following day (13), while allowing 20 to 30 minutes for their eyes to adjust to the darkness. (Newswire)