This month, five planets—and eventually the Moon—will align and form an arc across the early pre-dawn sky. Earlier this month, on the weekend of June 3, 2022, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn fell into alignment.

On the morning of Thursday, June 23, the Moon will enter into the alignment.  This alignment will be viewable with the naked eye but binoculars and telescopes may help.

The last time the five planets aligned sequentially was in 2004. The aligned planets will be visible just before dawn in a long arc across the horizon. One planet, Mercury, will continue to become brighter as the month progresses. In the early hours of June 23, the crescent moon will join the lineup between Venus and Mars.  

For best viewing, find a clear view across the eastern horizon.  Begin looking about 30 minutes before sunrise (about 5:30 am).  Binoculars and telescopes are not necessary but they may enhance your view of the planets.  

In addition to the aligning planets, there are several other objects to view this month including the M13 Globular Star Cluster and the constellation Lyra.  Take a look at the following NASA video for more information on how to spot the aligned planets, M13, and Lyra.

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