Dark Skies of Nelson Five Planets Align

The best planetary party in 18 years has begun. Like a 17th-century astronomer, you can join it by just looking up. Throughout June, sky watchers can see Earth’s five closest planetary neighbors in a row with their naked eyes. About half an hour before sunrise, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are aligned in their natural order from the sun stretching in a diagonal starting low in the east. Peak alignment June 23.