NASA has debunked a viral news story claiming that a “planet parade” will be visible on June 3, with an alignment of six planets. The story has been widely shared on social media and news outlets, leading to false expectations of a spectacular celestial event. However, NASA has clarified that most of the planets will be either too close to the rising Sun or too faint to see, making the event much less impressive than expected.
While there will be an alignment of six planets on June 3, four of them will be invisible to the naked eye. This misunderstanding of the term “alignment” stems from the fact that the solar system is flat, with all planets orbiting on more or less the same plane. The planets can often be in loose alignment, but in this case, the entire panorama of the six planets will span from the northeast to the southeast sky, making the alignment less dramatic than anticipated.
If you go outside before dawn on June 3, you will only be able to see two planets, Saturn and Mars, shining dimly above the east-southeast. Uranus and Neptune are too small and dim to be seen without high-powered telescopes, while Jupiter and Mercury will be lost in the sun’s glare. NASA recommends looking for the reddish Mars between Saturn and a slim crescent Moon, but there is no need to wake up early specifically for this event as similar sights will be visible in the mornings leading up to June 4.
In the broader context of astronomical events, a waning crescent moon and a couple of dim planets make for a pleasant sight, but it is not as impressive as many have been led to believe. Instead, enthusiasts are encouraged to save their excitement for events like solar superstorms for northern lights or total solar eclipses. As the misinformation surrounding the “planet parade” continues to spread, it is important to rely on accurate sources like NASA for updates on celestial events and to manage expectations accordingly.
