A ‘little parade’: Here’s how to see 6 planets at once in the Kansas City area
Look up, Kansas City. A “planet parade” is passing above.
For the month of January, Kansas City area residents can spot up to six planets at the same time during the early evening.
According to NASA, this phenomenon “doesn’t happen every year.” Usually only a few planets are visible at the same time.
David Young, observatory director with the Astronomical Society of Kansas City, said it is “kind of cool” to see all of the planets together.
“You get a nice little parade,” Young said.
What is a ‘planet parade’?
A “planet parade” is an informal name for when planets are visible at the same time from Earth, according to NASA. During the month of January, people in the Kansas City area can look up in the early evening and see Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus with their naked eyes.
With equipment, you can see other planets, too — you’ll need binoculars to find Uranus and a telescope to make out Neptune.
While not part of the evening show, stargazers can spot Mercury in the morning, right before sunrise.
How can I see it in the Kansas City area?
To locate the planets in the sky, use a stargazing app like Stellarium or SkySafari.
Young said the bright planets, like Venus and Mars, will be visible even in the city. As a “fun project,” Young likes to find Venus during the day, by using an app to know where to look and then searching for an extra bright spot in the sky. “I’m usually amused,” he said.
To get the best view of the planets, Young recommended going to sparsely populated areas. He suggested Smithville Lake to the north and Louisburg to the south, where the Powell Observatory is located.
Is there anything special happening Jan. 25?
Not with the planets. While social media posts announce a “great planetary alignment” on Jan. 25, astronomy publication Earth Sky said that the planets always appear in a line from Earth’s perspective and they won’t all be on the same side of the sun.
Have more questions about nature in the Kansas City area? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
