Set your alarm. A planetary alignment will take place across New Mexico’s sky before Wednesday’s dawn. It is a show everyone should not sleep through.
Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, the six major planets, will align in the pre-dawn sky.
Skywatchers should go out ahead at least an hour before sunrise at 6:23 a.m. to witness the planetary parade before daylight dims the distant worlds.
Famous for its dark skies, high-desert air, and open landscapes, New Mexico offers residents and visitors from Albuquerque to Santa Fe a front-row seat to one of the year’s spectacles.
Mercury and Jupiter will take center stage, hanging low in the eastern sky. A backdrop of haze, distant mountains, trees, and the persistent glow of city lights makes viewing difficult.
However, Mars and Saturn are easy to spot without binoculars. Viewing Uranus will require binoculars, while a telescope is needed to pick out distant Neptune.
A nearly moonless sky
The arrival of the New Moon makes watching this celestial spectacle favorable because there will be no bright moonlight to wash away the glow of the planets and stars. That black canvas appears as the Perseid meteor shower bursts into the sky, another reason why skywatchers should keep their eyes on the sky.
August 12 is not only about a parade of six planets. The day brings a rare convergence of celestial shows, with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and a solar eclipse in other parts of the world.
Where to escape the city lights
Anyone who wants to witness the pre-dawn celestial show should choose a location away from the city lights.
New Mexico is known for the country’s most celebrated dark-sky destinations, such as the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Clayton Lake State Park, Cosmic Campground in the Gila National Forest, and Valles Caldera National Preserve.
Step away from Albuquerque’s dome of light, and the transformation can be breathtaking.
Mars, the Red Planet, glows above. While the ringed planet shines farther along its orbital path, the fainter outer worlds await discovery.
Don’t expect a perfect straight line
There is one misconception that should be cleared up. While these planets form a straight line in space, their alignment is a matter of geometry and Earth-bound perspective because they orbit the Sun in nearly the same plane.
Astronomers called this display a “planet parade” or planetary alignment.
It may sound dramatic. The view certainly can be. But there is no force bringing these planets together. Don’t be too superstitious about this planetary alignment because it has no special effect on Earth.
What makes this event spectacular is the number of planets visible at once and the favorable viewing conditions.
No sophisticated equipment is necessary to make the most of the spectacle. A warm jacket, however, to keep you warm amid the pre-dawn desert chill.
A thermos of coffee is even better. An app such as Stellarium or SkySafari is invaluable for identifying exactly which planet is which.
There is, however, one final hurdle. The weather. New Mexico’s late-summer monsoon season can bring in clouds and storms that will spoil the otherwise perfect view.
Before heading out, check the forecast, stay in an open eastern horizon, and be ready to find another location if clouds linger over your chosen spot.
