Moon, five planets, asteroids to align in the night sky 
Key Highlights
- The planets will be visible without the use of a telescope, according to astronomers
- Even two large asteroids are aligning with the moon and its planetary pals
- Such an alignment happened last year on 19 July
Celestial bodies like the moon and Venus will be putting up a memorable night show on 12 December.
Five planets, a crescent moon, and two large asteroids will all align in the night sky on Sunday. It will be visible without the use of telescopes, according to reports.
The moon came closer to Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter early in December. One can easily spot all three celestial objects by looking westward after sunset.
The three planets have been visible since 6 December. But on 12 December, as many as five planets will be visible in the night sky, according to astronomers.
In addition to this unique alignment, a crescent moon and two large asteroids will also be visible. The new planets that will be visible are Uranus and Neptune.
The moon has been next to Venus from the start of the week. But as the week progressed, it moved up the chain and passed Saturn and Jupiter. On 12 December, it is expected to be between Neptune and Uranus.
As depicted in the photo below:
A post on the Facebook page of St. Louis Astronomy said the best time to view the alignment would be after sunset on 12 December.
Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and the moon are likely to be visible together to the naked eye at that time.
A similar sighting happened last year on 19 July. Five planets – Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn – and the crescent moon were all visible in the sky at the same time.
“Forty-five minutes before sunrise, the crescent moon, and five planets are visibly curved across the morning sky on July 19, 2020. Find a spot with clear horizons in the east-northeast and the southwest. A binocular may help to find the moon, Mercury, and Jupiter,” astronomer Jeffrey Hunt wrote in a blog post before the event.