How To Capture The Rare Four-Planet Parade At The Perfect Angle

Skywatchers are in for a treat as a rare planetary alignment will appear from April 16 to April 23 before the sunrises, when Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune will be seen along the sun's path. This special space event can be seen from Earth with the best viewing windows that occur about 30 minutes before the sun rises in the Northern Hemisphere and up to 90 minutes before it rises in the Southern Hemisphere, depending on the sky conditions and your location. How to Capture the Rare Planetary AlignmentTo capture this celestial event, you can try different devices depending on the level of details you need. Mercury, Mars, and Saturn are likely to be visible to the naked eye under clear skies, while it is important to use binoculars to witness

the rare sight that brings all three into a single view for better framing. Notably, medium to large sized telescopes are needed to observe Neptune, the faintest of the four planets, they also allow for better imaging of the parade. For photography, a DSLR with a telephoto lens mounted on a tripod or tracking setup may help you to capture the sifting patterns of the planets, especially when they form a diagonal line. The alignment of the planets will change shape across the week. From April 16 to April 19, the three brighter planets could be seen forming a compact triangular formation. On April 20, they could be seen shifting into a diagonal line before changing their pattern.

Planetary Parade Date And Time In IndiaThe rare phenomenon can be seen around roughly 5:00 AM and 5:50 AM IST in India, depending on your locations. Cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad may offer slightly better visibility due to their geographical position. It is advised that observers should find a clear eastern horizon, as the planets will remain low in the sky and are best seen without clouds.