In a rare celestial show, four planets and the Moon are now visible in the evening sky and for the next 8 days (May 31-June 7). It begins with flighty and tricky Mercury near the western horizon followed by the waxing crescent Moon close to Jupiter well above and to the left of Mercury. In the south and high up is red-orange Mars and well left and in the southeast is Saturn (with the star Spica between Mars and Saturn).
This uncommon event gives all of us stargazers and astronomers a chance to see most of the larger solar system objects. As far as visibility goes, only Venus is not present, but will show in all of her radiant love in the early morning sky. Uranus (except on special occasions under perfectly dark conditions), Neptune and Pluto are not visible without the aid of binoculars or a telescope. It also gives everyone a chance to see most of the invisible line in the sky called the ecliptic, which is the path of the Sun and the plane of the Solar System. Drawing a line from Mercury to Jupiter to Mars and then Saturn will give a very good idea of that ecliptic.
The Moon, now in Cancer will be moving quickest during this next week as it will be conjunct Mars in Libra by June 7th and be in the First Quarter phase soon thereafter.
– Erik Roth