Good Friday is likely to be a day of unusual cosmic alignment. The planets Mars, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter formed a quartet that was visible to stargazers all across Manhattan and New York.
Mars and Venus have always been a part of the cosmic dance, but this time two other planets have joined them.
People wearing face masks watch the sunset as they wait to see the planets Jupiter and Saturn during the great conjunction at the Griffith Observatory on the same day as the winter solstice, December 21, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. - The great conjunction refers to the astronomical alignment of Jupiter and Saturn, the closest for nearly 400 years.
Four Planets Align As Seen Across New York Skies
Alexander Krivenyshev, an amateur astronomer, captured a stunning image of four planets aligning over Manhattan's Upper West Side on the morning of Good Friday (April 15).
Krivenyshev, the president of WorldTimeZone.com, took the snapshot at 5:36 a.m. EDT from Guttenberg, New Jersey. The location is just across the Hudson River from New York City. Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn shine above city lights in a brightening predawn sky.
"With urban astrophotography, high clouds and light-polluted skies provide one a short window of time" to get such a shot, Krivenyshev told Space.com.
He noted that on Friday morning, a window opened up when Jupiter ascended above a cloud layer while the other three planets remained visible higher in the sky.
Krivenyshev is a skilled astrophotographer who focuses on more than just the planets. He took beautiful photographs of the International Space Station (ISS) crossing the face of the almost full moon in 2017, for example.
ALSO READ: April 2022 Night Sky: What to Expect When Stargazing This Month?
About April Planetary Conjunction
Jupiter will be high enough above the horizon in the hour before daybreak by the last week of April to be visible.
By April 19, Saturn will have joined these three planets, forming a diagonal line stretching slightly over 30 degrees from lower left to top right: Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn.
Jupiter and Venus will collide in the last week of April, with the crescent moon passing below Saturn on April 25, Mars on April 26, and Jupiter and Venus on April 27.
Another Space.com report pointed out that a 12 percent lighted crescent moon will be visible, with Jupiter four degrees to its upper left and Venus sitting five degrees immediately above the lunar sliver.
On April 30, Venus and Jupiter will be side by side. Three of Jupiter's four Galilean satellites will be visible, while Venus will appear slightly more than half-lit.
Venus and Jupiter will have their own ultra-close conjunction on April 30, similar to Mars and Saturn earlier this month.
Do you want to know what the greatest part is? The Weather Channel said stargazers would be able to see the alignment with the naked eye!
It is, nevertheless, essential to note that, unlike stars, planets do not sparkle. Because of its location beyond the horizon, Jupiter may try to elude you. As a result, packing a pair of binoculars is a good idea.
RELATED ARTICLE: April 2022 Planetary Conjunction: Watch Venus, Mars, Saturn's Reunion This Week; Jupiter Will Join the Trio Later This Month
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