5 Planets Will Align Over Virginia: Forecast, How To Watch

VIRGINIA — A rare alignment of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn is coming to a peak after the summer solstice, as a crescent moon joins the parade in the nighttime skies over Virginia.

The weather forecast in Virginia is partly cloudy, so be sure to check before you head out to look at the sky.

The procession of the five planets will be visible for an hour or so before sunrise just above the eastern horizon during through the end of the month, according to AccuWeather.

The best date to mark is before 5 a.m. local time on June 24, when a crescent moon joins the planetary parade.

Best of all, the planetary alignment is visible without a telescope, though AccuWeather notes that Mercury may be hard to spot because it’s the dimmest of the planets and will be the lowest in the sky.

For the best chances to see all five planets, try to find a fairly flat open space without trees, buildings and mountains to get in the way.

The last time the five planets lined up was in 2004, and it won’t happen again until 2040, according to AccuWeather.

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