Look up at the sky this weekend to witness a spectacular gathering of planets.
The phenomena is called a “triple conjunction,” which occurs when the trio of planets – Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn – align in the sky.
Forbes notes that the three planets will appear within 2 degrees of each other in the Capricorn constellation.
“From Friday evening to Monday evening, the planet Mercury will appear to pass [by] first Saturn and then Jupiter as it shifts away from the horizon, visible each evening low in the west-southwest and setting before evening twilight ends,” according to NASA.
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The celestial attraction will be brief as EarthSky reports that the trio will be best visible at dusk in a clear sky and will set by nightfall. The optimal time to spot the occurrence is 45 to 60 minutes after sunset in the direction of the west-southwest horizon.
While it may be visible to the naked eye, binoculars are strongly suggested.
Since Jupiter will be the brightest of the three, it’s advised you look for the planet first and then locate Mercury and Saturn (which will be 10 times dimmer than Jupiter) as they form a small triangle.
The next “triple conjunction” will occur just before Valentine’s Day on February 13.
The “Christmas star,” which appeared on December 21 just after sunset, was another great and rare conjunction that brought Jupiter and Saturn together for the first time since the Middle Ages.
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