Rare 5-planetary alignment: When and where to observe

Mark your calendars and gaze at the night sky to witness a rare celestial event on Saturday, June 17. Five planets in our solar system—Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus, and Mercury—are coming together in a remarkable planetary alignment. This alignment, known as a conjunction, occurs when multiple planets appear close to one another from our vantage point on Earth.
While this alignment will be visible for a few days, the best time to observe it is early morning on Saturday, June 17, just before sunrise. In India, Saturn will rise at 11:41 pm, followed by Jupiter after 02:30 am. Mercury will become visible around 04:23 am, as reported by India Today. To get the best view, find a location with minimal light pollution and an unobstructed view of the horizon.
Conjunctions are events that showcase the proximity of celestial bodies in our solar system. They occur when planets, moons, or stars appear close to each other in the night sky. Common conjunctions involve bright planets such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
The elliptical orbits of planets around the sun result in their changing positions relative to Earth over time. During a conjunction, two planets align in a way that makes them appear close together in their orbits when viewed from our planet. It’s a fascinating phenomenon that reminds us of the vastness and intricacies of our cosmic neighborhood.