It’s going to be a busy weekend of astronomical events. Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus and Mars will be visible to the naked eye before sunrise on Sunday, July 19.
The five planets will all make an appearance for 45 minutes and will be accompanied by a beautiful crescent moon.
The planets and moon will form a curve across the sky and those eager to see the show are encouraged to find a viewing spot with a clear horizon to ensure the best visibility.
You’ll be able to tell the planets from one another as Jupiter will appear two hours before sunrise in a southwesterly part of the sky, and Saturn will be just above it to the right. Mars will appear in a southeastern direction and Venus will be visible in the eastern sky. Mercury will appear to the right of the moon and will be low in the sky in a east-northeast direction according to Space.com. Mercury will be the most difficult planet to see from Cape Town but will be visible nonetheless.
While you won’t need a telescope to see the show, those wanting to get a closer or clearer look at the planets and the moon should use binoculars.
Picture: Pexels