Mars, Venus, Saturn Visible together in Triangle

[Celtaur]

A spectacular gathering of three of the brightest planets will be the chief celestial attraction in the evening sky during the next few days. Anyone with a clear and unobstructed view of the west-northwest horizon will be able to Venus, Mars and Saturn in a single glance.

These three planets are destined to crowd into a relatively small area of the sky, making for a very distinctive and eye-catching formation that is sure to thrill most sky watchers.

From my own personal viewpoint, I have been referring to this gathering as "The Celestial Summit Meeting" to both members of my family and close friends.



This graphic shows where to look to spot the planetary triangle on Aug. 5.

Planetary travels

A wide variety of different conjunctions and configurations involving the planets typically occur during the course of any given year. It is rather unusual, however, when three or more bright planets appear to reside in the same small area of the sky.

From our Earthly vantage point, we can readily observe Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn with our unaided eyes as they revolve around the sun.

Each of these planets appears to move against the starry background at their own speeds and along their own tracks. It is obvious that since they are constantly moving at different speed, the positions of all five planets at any particular time are unique to that particular moment.

All of the naked eye planets – and the moon as well – closely follow an imaginary line in the sky called the ecliptic. The ecliptic is also the apparent path that the Sun appears to take through the sky as a result of the Earth's revolution around it.

Read the rest of the article on Space.com

[Haruth]

My astronomy doesn't extend far enough to let me know where Zaniah and Zavijava might possibly be... but I was lucky enough to spot the "summit" before leaving UK. Now that is surely going to be one big talking shop...

[Celtaur]

Venus, Mars and Saturn are in Libra in the 6th house.



Zaniah is a star in the left arm of the constellation Virgo, also known as Eta Virginis

Zavijava is also a star in Virgo also known as Beta Virginis