FIVE PLANETS DAZZLE MORNING SKY

       The media is calling it the “Great Naked Eye Planet Show,” and it is coming to your predawn sky everywhere.

       Until around Feb. 20 when Mercury moves too close to the Sun, everyone can also see the five “classic” planets strung like celestial pearls across the eastern sky.

       It might be while walking the dog before the rising Sun or climbing in your vehicle, but if you look up to the early morning twilight you will see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn with a few bright stars tossed in between.

       Stretching from the horizon to directly overhead, this celestial necklace is an easy target for any telescope, as well as just a breathtaking sight to inspire one to appreciate planet Earth.

       In the ancient world, such a gathering of the wandering “stars” would have created a public sensation of astrological predictions and everybody would be talking about the scintillating morning scene.

       Ancient stargazer/astrologers would be working overtime trying to figure out what the Gods were trying to tell Earth.  And there would be a lot of interpretation as in all the sky just the Sun, Moon and these five bright “stars” move about in predicted patterns.

       In our 21^st Century world, horoscopes are finally just entertainment and a small percentage of us will even take the time to look up in the pre-twilight morning and see this celestial line up.  And that’s a shame, because those of us who look up can watch the Solar System in action.

       As the planets move and Earth journeys around the Sun, the whole passion play of planets will get jumbled up. Before you know it, one May evening after sunset you’ll look up and there will be Jupiter shining down with Mars nearby.  But for the Winter of 2016, they belong to the after-midnight scene.

       Following the fascinating rhythm of the stars with just your eyes—called “naked eye” stargazing—is a perfectly good way to enjoy astronomy. And it connects you with our ancestors from civilizations past, who were much more intimate with the stars than modern man.

       The morning planetary lineup will be easy to see before climbing in your mechanical chariot for the drive to work.   If before 6:20 am, you won’t see illusive Mercury hugging the eastern horizon.  But rising up from the horizon will be brilliant Venus, much dimmer red Mars, yellowish Saturn and definitely yellow Jupiter.

       Let’s look at the beautiful morning display of the five classic planets of antiquity and the constellation they dwell in this Winter 2016:

       At 6 am, Jupiter is directly overhead, shining brightly as a golden point of light. That gold light has always been associated with royalty and gold treasure.  Rising in the east at 9 pm, Jupiter is in the hindquarters of Leo the Lion, moving into Virgo the Virgin.           

       Looking at Jupiter, to the right is Regulus, the brightest star of Leo, and to the left is bright, white Spica in sprawling Virgo the Virgin. And left of Spica is Mars.

       The red hue of Mars has been associated through all antiquity with blood. Thus the great Roman warrior Mars became the fourth planet.  And it’ll be rising around 2 am in Libra the Scales, and only inanimate object in the Zodiac.

       Mars will be brightening up as it gets closer to Earth this Spring.  It is always fascinating to look at the Red Planet and think about the two rovers and four orbiters that are currently exploring the world most like Earth.

       To the left of Mars and rising around 4 am in the claws of Scorpius is Saturn.  Looking a creamy yellow, it was associated with the staple food corn, and Saturn is the Roman god of agriculture. 

       Rising in the east around 6 am is the brightest planet, Venus.  And 20 minutes later will be much fainter Mercury.  So, you have to look quick: twilight starts around 6:40 am.  And your last look of Mercury will be around 7 am just before sunrise.

       Venus is always the brightest planet, the brilliant white being associated with the purity of women and goddesses like the Roman goddess of love. Today we know that the brightness is caused by a global cloud system that reflects sunlight like a mirror.

       The ancient stargazers called Venus the Morning Star or Evening Star, depending when seen.  It was even thought to be two different objects.  But today we know Venus’ 224-day orbit puts it about 100 days in the morning and 100 days in the evening skies.

       Mercury is the illusive one for sure, as the first planet never gets far away from the Sun and takes just 88 days for its solar year.  So in Earth’s 365-day solar journey, we see Mercury bobbing back and forth from morning to evening twice in a year.

       Mercury will be the only bright star near the eastern horizon, rising ahead of the Sun at around 6:20 am, and 10 minutes later can be easily seen.  Like everything else in the sky moving westward as the Earth spins eastward to greet the Sun, the advancing twilight puts out the stars one-by-one.

       Mercury will disappear and then Mars and Saturn.  But the bright Venus and Jupiter will linger longer in the twilight—a challenge to see how long you see them against the blue sky. Sunshine takes over, and the night is officially day.

       The morning offers quite a unique and beautiful sight of our five naked eye planets, one that is worth getting up early to see.  But don’t wait as the show will be over before the March winds blow.