Rich, rare opportunity for SL stargazers Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn visible till March 1

By Pranavesh Sivakumar   

Clear skies will open up to an ongoing sky spectacle, where  as many as four planets – Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn – will be visible to  Sri Lanka as long until March 1 in a rich and rare sky show till 9  pm, Saraj Gunasekera, Director and Scientist, Arthur C Clarke for Modern  Technologies, told Daily Mirror.  He said since sunset till 9 pm would be the best viewing time, based on their calculations.  Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, will be  visible overhead, Mars to be spotted in the east and Saturn and Venus  more or less in the west skies, he said. This occurrence would be valid and visible until March 1, because Saturn would be setting around 6.30 by then. Therefore, until  March 1, all four planets would be on show.  

“By March 1, Saturn will set around 6.30. After 6.30 Saturn  won’t be visible. Therefore, until March 1, all four planets would be  on show,” he said adding that, “Venus sets approximately around 9.25 pm.  Mars rises around 6 pm. Jupiter and Saturn also around 6.30 pm”.  

“It’s difficult to find,” he said when asked about the distance between the planets.  

Though it appears that the last-recorded time is unknown,  he said it would not have been many moons ago and all these occur  based on the alignment of the planets.  

The public can see these simply over a binocular or small telescope, and in some instances, through the naked eye.