How to view rare planetary parade, on until Feb, in Bengaluru

In a rare celestial event, six planets can be seen in the night sky at the same time. It will also be visible from Bengaluru, experts tell Metrolife. The peak phase of the ‘planetary parade’ has begun and will last until January 21, according to Chrisphin Karthick, a scientist at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. However, it will continue to be visible in the Bengaluru sky until February 13, he adds.

He says, “The planets are aligned in the ecliptic plane but not in a straight line as graphics circulating on social media are projecting. We will be able to see these planets, stretching from the eastern to the western sky, because of their current orbital position.”

With the naked eye: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn can be seen without a telescope, says B R Guruprasad, director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bengaluru. “Venus will appear the brightest, like a white dot. Mars will look like a bright red dot, Saturn as a faint dot, and Jupiter as a white dot,” he explains.

People can use apps like Stellarium, Star Walk, and SkyPortal to locate the positions of these planets, says Karthick. “Make sure to turn on the GPS setting on your phone,” he adds.

“Using binoculars, you may be able to view four moons of Jupiter,” says Vijay Kapoor, founder of the Bangalore Astronomy Club.

With a telescope: Uranus and Neptune can only be viewed through a telescope, says Kapoor. Mercury will also join the planetary parade in the coming days. While it is not easy to spot Mercury, there are higher chances of seeing it with a telescope on March 8, adds Guruprasad.

Timings: Kapoor says the planetary alignment will be visible after sunset and before sunrise. The best time to view it is from 7.30 pm, says Karthick.

Location: According to Kapoor, the planetary alignment can be viewed from the rooftop of a home, provided the sky is clear of pollution and clouds, and the view is not obstructed by tall buildings.

Good options outside Bengaluru include Nandi Hills, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu, these experts share.

Stargazing tours: RiSa Astronomy in Whitefield is organising two tours to view the planetary parade: one to Kodagu on January 24 and another to Denkanikottai, Tamil Nadu, on January 24 and 25. “Both our Kodagu and Denkanikottai sites already have a streaming telescope. For the Kodagu tour, we will carry an additional solar telescope,” says its founder Anish. For details, call 82170 61060 or visit risaastronomy.com.

The Great Beyond in Jakkur is organising a tour to Chikkaballapur on January 25 and 26. “We will carry four telescopes for solar and night-time stargazing,” says its founder Deepak Chowdary. Call 99452 03390 or visit thegreatbeyond.in for details.