# Planetary alignment forcast for today?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planetary-alignment-forcast-for-today/236042>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 24, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planetary-alignment-forcast-for-today/236042 "2004-03-24T01:21:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planetary-alignment-forcast-for-today/236042/1 "2004-03-24T01:21:13Z")

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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?

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planetary-alignment-forcast-for-today/236042/2 "2004-03-24T01:24:53Z")

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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](http://www.space.com/spacewatch/planet_panorama_040305.html)

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**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planetary-alignment-forcast-for-today/236042/3 "2004-03-24T01:26:24Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planetary-alignment-forcast-for-today/236042/4 "2004-03-24T01:27:40Z")

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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. 🆒

[_Sky and Telescope_ article.](http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_1194_1.asp)