Science
These will be the 4 planets that will be lined up in the sky in January 2025 and how to see them from USA
Stargazers are set to be treated to a planetary phenomenon that doesn’t happen very often.
In today’s world of TikTok, X and Squid Game, it can be easy to forget that we are just a group of great apes with accidentally oversized craniums plugging away on a small rock travelling round an average-sized star in a corner of a spiral galaxy, making up a universe of some 200 billion others, each with their own solar systems, stars, planets and... life?
Well, if you do forget all that on a daily basis, then January is the ideal time to do what you never do and look up. Seeing the stars, even just a few faint twinkles for a brief moment, immediately gives you a different perspective on the world, human beings and meaning.
It’s always nice to remind ourselves that there is so much more out there than just the worries of daily life. As Earthlings - and I mean all of us including our animal cousins on this planet - we are the only form of life we know, simultaneously making us the most significant and insignificant things in existence.
Which planets will be visible in January 2025?
And there’s no better time than the present to see what’s going on beyond Earth. Across January, four of the Solar System’s eight planets (let’s not go there with Pluto) will be visible at the same time.
Throughout the month, during the first couple of hours after dark, you’ll be able to spot Venus and Saturn in the southwest, Jupiter high overhead, and Mars over in the east. The former two will get closer and closer until the 17th and 18th of January, after which they’ll have exchanged glances and carry on their separate journeys. On the 13th of January, the Moon and Mars will be at their closest, making the home of the Ice Warriors easy to spot.
If you have a telescope handy, Uranus and Neptune will also be visible.
Contrary to popular belief, the fact that they are ‘aligned’ is nothing significant. The line on which they sit is known as the ecliptic, which is the plane of the solar system on which the planets orbit the Sun.
What is curious, however, is that we’re getting to see them at the same time. While it’s not a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to see the family gathering, it is a special event that is well worth looking up for.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.