5 planets align across the night sky. Here's how to see them in Ontario
Stargazer Junbo Liang from Toronto photographs the Milky Way lighting up clear night sky over Algonquin Park Saturday June 12, 2021. With provincial re-opening people from across Ontario flocked to Ontario's marquee provincial park. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Thornhill
Five planets formed a line across the evening sky on Tuesday.
The planetary alignment will include Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Mars, all visible from Earth, according to sky tracking site Starwalk.
Jupiter and Mercury will appear near the horizon, in the constellation Pisces, while Venus will be visible higher in the sky on the constellation Aries, the sky-tracking site noted.
Next, Uranus will line up nearby but a pair of binoculars may be required to get a glimpse of the planet. Finally, Mars will appear higher in the sky, near the moon, to complete the five-planet alignment.
STARGAZING TIPS
For the best chances to see the planetary alignment clearly in Ontario, astrophotographer Trevor Jones said the first thing you’ll need is clear skies.
In the Toronto area, Tuesday night is forecast to be slightly cloudy, so the planets should be visible. Check the local forecast in your area before heading out to view the alignment.
“Getting away from city light pollution is a big one too,” Jones said in an interview with CTV News Toronto last week. “You'll see much more if you're able to get away from the city lights and get somewhere a little darker.”
Jones also recommends giving your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness.
“If go straight outside, your eyes aren't going to be ready to see anything, so let your eyes adapt to the darkness for 25 minutes or so,” he said.
If possible, travelling to a dark-sky preserve – areas where light pollution has been nearly eliminated and residents can enjoy “celestial landscapes – will give viewers the best shot at a vivid show.
Canada has 13 federally-designated dark-sky preserves, areas where light pollution is kept to a minimum or eliminated completely.
PLACES TO STARGAZE IN ONTARIO
Ontario's federal dark-sky preserves include Point Pelee National Park in Essex County, Fathom Five National Marine Park and Bruce Peninsula National Park near Tobermory, Ont.
Some spots recommended for stargazing, but without official dark-sky designation, include Binbrook Conservation Area in Niagara, Ont., Torrance Barrens in Gravenhurst, Ont., and Lennox and Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area in Napanee, Ont.
Last week, a geomagnetic storm brought a rare appearance of Aurora Borealis to southern Ontario, and residents all over the province were able to take in the spectacle.
With files from CTV News' Adam Frisk.
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