5 Brightest Planets Align Every 18 Years

For the first time in 18 years, planets will align in the southeastern sky, along the horizon, close to sunrise on June 24, 2022

Best viewed between June 17 and June 27, 2022 will be the last time the five brightest planets cluster in the sky until 2040. This planetary alignment can be glimpsed by the vast majority of the world’s population, but some will be better positioned than others. For those in the northern latitudes, above cities like New York and London, the planet closest to the sun, Mercury, will be near the horizon and may be washed out by the glare of dawn. In these regions, the other planets will also hug the eastern horizon, making it a bit of a challenge to easily see all the planets.

Andrew Fazekas, the Night Sky Guy, is the author of Star Trek: The Official Guide to Our Universe and the second edition of The Backyard Guide to the Night Sky. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Source: See a rare alignment of all the planets in the night sky National Geographic

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Why is Venus so bright in Earth’s sky?
- The main reason is that Venus is so bright (it has a high albedo) because it’s blanketed by highly reflective clouds. The clouds in the atmosphere of Venus contain droplets of sulfuric acid, as well as acidic crystals suspended in a mixture of gases. Light bounces easily off the smooth surfaces of these spheres and crystals.

Jupiter is bright because it is the largest planet in the solar system.