MUST SEE PLANETARY PARADE PICS

 Hey, Space Placers!

Venus, Saturn (to upper left of Venus) & Zodiacal Light

Light Up the Pacific

Ahoy from the good ship Azamara Onward headed south in the Pacific Ocean for French Polynesia.

Last night the “Parade of Planets”   https://wtop.com/the-space-place/2025/01/whats-up-in-the-sky-what-dc-stargazers-should-watch-for-in-january/    was in full and spectacular view.

In the Southwest sky, glorious Venus was ablaze with dimmer Saturn getting closer for their celestial rendezvous on the 17th. As an added and unexpected bonus, the Zodiacal Light  https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/have-you-seen-the-zodiacal-light/  made a stunning appearance to cap off an already awe-inspiring view.

Venus, Saturn (to upper left of Venus)

Following the Planetary Parade to the East next up was Jupiter high and bright amongst the stars of Taurus the Bull and the Pleiades.

Jupiter, At Top In Taurus the Bull

At the end of the Parade of Planets was bright and reddish-orange Mars in the East on the horizon. Mars was at opposition - directly opposite the Sun - last night.

The Red Planet was lined up with the two brightest stars in Gemini, the Twins - Castor and Pollux - for an eye catching sight of the three of them.

 Mars below, Jupiter above with the 

stars of Winter

All of my photos were taken with an iPhone Pro Max 15 and NO EDITING was done so they are straight from the sky to you.

I hope you can get outside and see the “Planetary Parade” for yourself as it is pretty cool to see four of the five naked eye planets from horizon to horizon. Mercury, the 5th naked eye planet, is in the pre-dawn sky.

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Sky Guy in The Pacific