Since Tuesday, a rare phenomenon has been observable in the sky: the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus are aligned above our horizon and can be seen with the naked eye at sunset.
In an interview with LCN, astrophysicist from the University of Montreal, Nathalie Ouellette, explained that this relatively rare phenomenon is clearly worth a look.
“I think any opportunity to see planets in a city sky, with lots of light pollution, is a beautiful moment. It is at sunset and we also have the beautiful moon which is aligned with the planets”, she indicated.
To fully enjoy the show, Ms. Ouellette recommends raising your eyes to the sky, just above the horizon, and looking southwest.
Although the alignment can be seen in urban areas with light pollution, it is best to be outside major centers to get a good view of the planets.
In Montreal, Nathalie Ouellette recommends the Belvédère Outremont, on Mount Royal, which is particularly well positioned to see the alignment.
Outside Montreal, she advises being in an elevated location, such as the top of a mountain, where you have a clear view of the horizon.
And to make sure you’re looking at planets and not stars, she has a very useful trick.
“Stars typically twinkle because they are very small and because of the movement of the atmosphere, it blurs their light a bit. […] Because the planets are bigger and closer to us, they don’t twinkle.”