Seasonal & Holidays
5 Planets Will Align Over Arizona: Forecast, How To Watch
Look up to the sky to see a show that won't be viewable again for almost 20 years.
![Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are in alignment, so if you can drag yourself out of bed before sunrise, it's a view you won't want to miss.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/25354507/20220623/071320/styles/patch_image/public/planets-again___23191113299.png)
ARIZONA — On Friday, five planets will be in peak alignment above Arizona, something that early morning viewers won't see again for many years.
For those who plan to take in the view, the weather forecast in Phoenix is for partly cloudy skies early Friday morning with a temperatures around 88 degrees just before sunrise, according to Accuweather. Tucson should also have partly cloudy skies with a temperature around 81 degrees Friday morning.
The procession of planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, in that order — will be visible just above the eastern horizon during an hour or so before sunrise through the end of the month, according to AccuWeather.
Find out what's happening in Across Arizonawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The best date to mark is before 5 a.m. local time on Friday, when a crescent moon joins the planetary parade.
Best of all, the planetary alignment is visible without a telescope, though AccuWeather notes that Mercury may be hard to spot because it’s the dimmest of the planets and will be the lowest in the sky.
Find out what's happening in Across Arizonawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
For the best chances to see all five planets, try to find a fairly flat open space without trees, buildings and mountains to get in the way.
The last time the five planets lined up was in 2004, and it won’t happen again until 2040, according to AccuWeather.
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