Celestial trio to shine together before final sunrise of March
By
Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Mar 28, 2022 11:03 AM EDT
|
Updated Mar 28, 2022 11:03 AM EDT
Make sure to set your alarm clock early. Mars, Venus and Saturn will be joining together in a spectacular celestial alignment before sunrise on March 31.
Early risers will be treated to a trio of planets at the end of the month, a planetary gathering that will continue to put on a show through the beginning of April.
Folks who have been out before daybreak over the past few weeks have likely seen Venus shining bright in the eastern sky before the morning light washes out the views of the stars and planets. Venus will continue to be the focal point for early morning skywatchers at the end of March as two other planets will also swing into the spotlight.
About an hour before sunrise, local time, on Thursday, March 31, Mars, Saturn and Venus will shine in tight formation in the eastern sky, an event that will be visible from anywhere around the world.
Venus will be the brightest of the three, outshining every star and planet in the sky. Saturn will appear in the middle of the trio with Mars glowing on the right side of the celestial formation.
Planets are not to scale. The rings of Saturn cannot be seen without a telescope.
No telescope will be needed to spot the planets as they are all bright enough to see with the unaided eye, but a bit of luck may be required in the form of cloud-free weather.
If cloudy weather is in the forecast for your area Thursday morning, there will still be a few opportunities to see the trio during the opening days of April, although they will appear slightly different than they will Thursday.
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Experts say it will be worth working up early on Monday, April 4, and Tuesday, April 5, in order to enjoy views of the planets since Saturn and Mars will appear extremely close to each other.
This two-day event is known as a conjunction and is the first close meeting of these planets since March 31, 2020.
Mars and Saturn will be so close that they will appear in the same field of view of most telescopes, at least for folks who have the energy to set up a telescope before the crack of dawn.
More Space and Astronomy:
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Astronomy
Celestial trio to shine together before final sunrise of March
By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Mar 28, 2022 11:03 AM EDT | Updated Mar 28, 2022 11:03 AM EDT
Make sure to set your alarm clock early. Mars, Venus and Saturn will be joining together in a spectacular celestial alignment before sunrise on March 31.
Early risers will be treated to a trio of planets at the end of the month, a planetary gathering that will continue to put on a show through the beginning of April.
Folks who have been out before daybreak over the past few weeks have likely seen Venus shining bright in the eastern sky before the morning light washes out the views of the stars and planets. Venus will continue to be the focal point for early morning skywatchers at the end of March as two other planets will also swing into the spotlight.
About an hour before sunrise, local time, on Thursday, March 31, Mars, Saturn and Venus will shine in tight formation in the eastern sky, an event that will be visible from anywhere around the world.
Venus will be the brightest of the three, outshining every star and planet in the sky. Saturn will appear in the middle of the trio with Mars glowing on the right side of the celestial formation.
Planets are not to scale. The rings of Saturn cannot be seen without a telescope.
No telescope will be needed to spot the planets as they are all bright enough to see with the unaided eye, but a bit of luck may be required in the form of cloud-free weather.
If cloudy weather is in the forecast for your area Thursday morning, there will still be a few opportunities to see the trio during the opening days of April, although they will appear slightly different than they will Thursday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Experts say it will be worth working up early on Monday, April 4, and Tuesday, April 5, in order to enjoy views of the planets since Saturn and Mars will appear extremely close to each other.
This two-day event is known as a conjunction and is the first close meeting of these planets since March 31, 2020.
Mars and Saturn will be so close that they will appear in the same field of view of most telescopes, at least for folks who have the energy to set up a telescope before the crack of dawn.
More Space and Astronomy:
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
Report a Typo