How To See 5 Planets In Washington This Weekend

SEATTLE, WA — Sunday is perhaps the best day for sleeping in late, but this Sunday Washington residents might want to consider setting an early alarm clock if they want to see five planets appear simultaneously in the night sky. In a rare display, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be visible to the naked eye.

Even better, forecasters are predicting that marine layer clouds are supposed to clear by Sunday, giving many a clear view of the stellar skies.

How early should you get up? About two hours before sunrise, according to Travel and Leisure magazine. In Washington, the sun will rise around 5:33 a.m. Sunday, so that'd put the optimal time at 3:33 a.m. For some, that means it may be easier to just stay up extra late and sleep in after for the ultimate lazy Sunday.

A brief guide to finding a planet amidst a busy cosmos:

Once you've wiped the sleep from your eyes, you can catch the best view of Jupiter sinking in the southwestern sky with Saturn just above and to the right.

From there, trace a curved line through both planets into the southern sky and you’ll hit Mars high above the southeastern horizon.

To see Venus and Mercury, trace Mars’ curve down to the horizon in the northeast. Before you get there, you’ll easily spot Venus, one of the brightest objects in the night sky.

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Mercury is a bit more elusive. If your timing is right, the planet will rise in the northeast 45 minutes before sunrise. You’re looking for a small, red dot, and a pair of binoculars would be good to have on hand. Keep those binoculars for a bonus glimpse of Jupiter’s four largest moons — Europa, Ganymede, Io and Callisto.

If you’re hoping to spot all eight planets in the sky at the same time, sadly, it’s not possible. Uranus and Neptune aren’t quite visible to the naked eye and require a telescope.

Also, be sure to pencil in a special date between these five planets. On Sept. 8, 2040, there will be a "Great Conjunction" or "Golden Conjunction" — when Mars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter will be visible in the same tiny patch of the night sky, just 10 degrees apart.