'Planet parade' not quite happening June 3, NASA says. Here’s when instead.
NASA ordered to give moon its own 'time zone'
The Biden administration has given the space agency until the end of 2026 to hammer out a new "time zone" specific to the moon. LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow spoke with Professor Catherine Heymans, Scotland's Astronomer Royal about the reasons behind this.
NASA shared a note about the so-called "planet parade" that has been hyped up to grace the sky in early June – it’s not going to be quite the celestial spectacle that’s expected.
At least, not yet.
The planetary conjunction, informally called the parade of planets, was set to align on June 3.
Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will appear close together in the sky from Earth’s perspective, creating a unique viewing experience.
"In reality, only two of the six planets supposedly on display (Saturn and Mars) will actually be visible," NASA clarified.
"In early June, Jupiter and Mercury will be at or below the horizon in morning twilight and not visible; Uranus and Neptune are far too faint to see without a telescope, especially as the morning sky brightens," their note continued.
The planetary alignment is still happening by scientific standards, it just won’t be as visible to us here on Earth as touted.
FILE - Computer-enhanced view from the unmanned NASA Galileo Jupiter orbiter, of the Earth (top) and Moon, December 16, 1992. (Photo by NASA via CNP/Getty Images)
RELATED: Extreme solar storms took tractors in circles while farmers were planting crops
NASA added, though, that later in the month we’ll have a chance to see something similar.
"The closest thing to a planet parade will be June 29, when Saturn, the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter will line up across the morning sky," it said.
This story was reported from Detroit. Austin Williams contributed.