Here’s When You’ll See 6 Planets At Once Over Illinois Next Week

It's been nice to see the skies over Illinois have been feeling pretty cooperative (meaning very little cloud cover) lately, as we've gotten some really good views of the "shooting stars" of the Perseid Meteor Shower, which wraps up during the first week of September after a long run that began back in mid-July.

A little less than two weeks ago, Illinois skywatchers got a great look at the first SuperMoon of 2024, the Sturgeon Moon. We'll get SuperMoons over the next three months with the next one showing up on September 18th, followed by October 17th, and November 15th.

But before we get to September's SuperMoon, we'll be treated to 6 visible planets during the pre-dawn hours here in Northern Illinois, and once again, it looks like the weather will be good for those who want to stay up late or get up early for a look at something that doesn't happen very often.

Some Call Events Like This The Parade Of Planets, And We've Already Had Two Planet Parades This Year Alone

Back on June 3rd, Illinois' cloud-cover was minimal, which allowed those who were interested in seeing 6 planets in a parade of planets a really clear view. The previous parade of planets took place during May 8th's total solar eclipse. People who were in the "path of totality" of the eclipse reported seeing Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Mars.

Now, the parade is working its way through the skies over Illinois one more time this year, and the viewing opportunities should be really good, especially for those with telescopes or good binoculars.

Here's What You Need To Know If You'd Like To Stay Up Late Or Get Up Early To See The Parade Of Planets In Illinois' Skies

You actually don't have to wait. The planets are already visible in the pre-dawn skies, but some of them are more difficult to see. You can check out the parade of planets with the naked eye, but according to the experts on these sorts of things, you'll get a much better view over the next week or so.

Patch.com:

Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are all prominent. Mercury, which recently moved into the pre-dawn sky, also is relatively easy to spot, while dim Uranus and Neptune are a little more elusive. To see them all, stand in an open area with clear view of the east, south and west, EarthSky recommends.