This January, stargazers are in for a treat with a spectacular “planetary parade” as four bright planets—Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars—grace the night sky.

There are four bright planets – and two faint planets – in the evening sky. 

From Venus’ brilliance in the southwest to Mars’ closest approach to Earth in six years, there’s plenty to marvel at.

According to Space.com, Saturn and Venus will shine bright in the sky just after sunset and for the first hours of the night all month.

Meanwhile, Jupiter will shine brightly in the overhead sky all night. Mars will rise in the eastern sky at night, and it can look like a ruddy red color in telescopes and binoculars. 

Uranus and Neptune won’t be visible without charts and probably optical aid. So that leaves four bright planets in a line across our sky in January 2025.

Their closest approach will be on the evening of January 17-18, 2025. The planetary pair will make an eye-catching sight and lie about 2.2 degrees apart at their closest.

Afterward, Saturn will be lower in the western sky than Venus.

Will you be able to see four planets in the sky at once?

Yes, the “planetary parade” will be visible in South Africa!

The sun sets in the southwest, and you can spot four bright planets as the sky darkens.

Start by looking west, where Venus will shine brightest, followed by Saturn nearby.

On January 17 and 18, Venus and Saturn will appear closest together.

Higher in the sky, you’ll also catch a glimpse of Jupiter, and to the east, Mars will rise, offering a rare opportunity to see it at its best as Earth passes between Mars and the sun.

Also read: Here are the SASSA grant payment dates for February 2025

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram