Unusual Planetary Alignment Underway

A rare four planet alignment has started in the eastern dawn sky and will continue to evolve over the next few weeks. Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter will form interesting close groupings that will provide a different arrangement every morning.

The attached photo was taken with a point-n-shoot camera from my back yard on Sunday morning May 1st. It shows the very pretty arrangement of Venus, Mercury and the Moon visible that morning. Unfortunately, Jupiter and Mars were behind some low clouds near the horizon and were hidden from view.

Jupiter and Mars will rise higher in the sky each morning with Jupiter passing within 0.6 degrees of Venus on May 11th. That should be quite a site.

Take a look 20 to 30 minutes before sunrise over the next few weeks to catch this rare alignment in action.

Rick Young
May 1, 2011