Climb up a peak in Oman to watch once-in-a-decade alignment of planets

Muscat: Stargazers will have to trek up the mountains of Oman if they want to have a good view of five planets that are currently visible simultaneously in the sky, an event that had last occurred 11 years ago.
Speaking to the Times of Oman, Mohammed Yahya Al Hijri, member of the Oman Astronomical Society, said this is a rare treat for those, who like to watch the night sky.
“During the next few weeks, citizens and expatriates of Oman can witness at least three to four planets from Oman if not five in the early hours of morning,” he revealed.
The five planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn—appear along an arch in the sky called the ecliptic. Generally, only a few of these planets are visible in the sky at the same time.
What is rather special about the current alignment is that the five planets are currently on one side of the Sun, which means during a certain period of the night, they will all be in the sky together. “But from Oman it would be hard to see Mercury as it will be close to Sun,” Al Hijri said.
He also pointed out that the best place to spot the planets is from the mountains of Oman, such as Jebel Shams. “People can watch this extravaganza where there is more darkness,” he stated.
Hours
Technically, the planets will be visible in the sky in the early morning hours during the next few weeks. “The best time to see them together will be the first week of February,” he said.
That is because Mercury, the smallest of the planets, which is also the nearest to the Sun, is currently too close to the horizon. “But during the first week of February, Mercury will be located a little higher on the horizon. So, all the planets will have a clear view an hour before sunrise,” they added.
This celestial event had last occurred between December 15, 2004 and January 15, 2005. The alignment will soon repeat itself in August this year, when these planets appear in the evening sky.
Some of the planets, of course, will be up in the sky much before dawn. Planets rise and set roughly along the same path as the Sun and the Moon. Jupiter will be the first to rise, followed by Mars after midnight and then Saturn, Venus and Mercury.