Planetary parade over Waterloo Region this month

Professional and amateur stargazers alike will have their eyes on the skies in January as a celestial event makes itself visible.

Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye, just after sunset as they sit along the ecliptic line, making them all visible in a group, at the same time.

Orbax, science communicator in the Physics Department at the University of Guelph, said the timing of the planetary parade is what makes it special.

“We can always see planets, more or less along that line. Some of them might occur during the day. Some of them might occur very late in the evening or early morning. But, we’re lucky that in January we can see these planets just an hour or two after sunset.”

He said there is a “sweet spot” between sundown and moonrise this time of year, where stars and planets are easier to spot. Orbax said there is one way in particular to identify the difference between a planet and a star.

“If the light coming from the source is constant, then it’s likely a planet. If it’s flickering, it’s likely a star. That’s because the planets are so close to us that the light they reflect from the sun is very bright and very intense. While the light from a star has to travel hundreds of millions of kilometers and is less intense.”

Orbax added, with the best viewing happening right after sunset, it’s perfect for junior scientist to get outside and have a look at the night sky.

He noted if you’re just getting into stargazing, there are apps available to help identify celestial bodies and they give users a pretty good idea of what they are looking at.

While the planetary parade is happening all month long, on or around Jan. 21, will offer the best views.