Predawn planetary parade: Mercury to Neptune with Moon

Six planets, along with the Moon, will be visible in the predawn sky this week in what astronomers describe as a planetary parade. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and the crescent Moon will span the eastern sky as dawn breaks, though Mars will be absent from this particular turnout. The period of heightened brightness and visibility runs from mid-August into the end of the week, with several mornings offering an especially favorable view before sunrise.

A planetary parade occurs when several planets appear to line up along or near the plane of the solar system, the ecliptic, from our vantage point on Earth. It is an optical arrangement rather than a physical, gravitational alignment. Observers should not expect the planets to be physically close, but they can appear as a chain of bright points across the eastern horizon. The morning light and the relative positions against the dark of space make the procession a striking sight for both casual skywatchers and more seasoned amateur astronomers.

Viewing the parade is straightforward but demands a clear, low-obstruction horizon and patience. The brightest naked-eye targets are Venus and Jupiter, often appearing as...