Planetary alignment forcast for today?

[Kinthalis]

A substitute teacher for an elementary school today mentioned some sort of rare planetary alignment that is supposedly starting today and will last for a month?

I've googled around but have had no luck. Anyone know anything about this?

[GorillaMan]

It's not an alignment - it's Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all visible to the naked eye. If you're lucky enough to get clear skys and mad enough to stay up all night.

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/planet_panorama_040305.html

[Cub Mistress]

According to my local news, in the western sky you can see (going up) Mercury, the moon, Venus, Mars and Saturn, IIRC. In the eastern sky, you can see Jupiter. I saw them last night. Venus is so bright I thought it was an airplane at first but the approach would have been all wrong.

[Podkayne]

Well, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and the Moon are all visibile in the evening sky.

We finally got a break in the weather, and I caught a glimpse of Mercury last night, beneath the merest sliver of a Moon. :cool:

Sky and Telescope article. (http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_1194_1.asp)