There doesn't seem to be a universal definition of what constitutes a planetary parade. Nevertheless, it is a visual phenomenon that occurs when planets of the Solar System appear in a small sector of the sky at the same time as seen by observers from Earth. To be clear, they're not equidistant from earth - although their alignment in the eyes of an earthly viewer lends that illusion.
A small alignment will occur tomorrow morning on April 20, when Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and Venus will create a near-perfect line in the predawn sky. Bonus: the moon joins the parade on the 21st and brings-up the rear of the parade by the 23rd.
The viewing conditions will be more favorable than in March: all the planets will be within range of naked-eye visibility and will rise higher above the horizon before sunrise. Because it sits lower in the horizon than the other three planets you will still need a clear horizon to view the planet Jupiter.
If you don't catch it tomorrow - revisit the early night sky before sunrise thru the weekend.
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| photo Stellarium |
Incidentally, all the planets of the Solar System – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune plus the dwarf planet Pluto – lined up on one side of the Sun at the same time on July 4, 2020.
This will next occur in 2161.
See you then!
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