Want to catch a great show? Just look up!
About every ten years or so, the planets align. In this case, five of them: Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter are visible in the early morning sky from Earth.
According to science educator, Patrick Hess at the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium at Union Station, you should look toward the rising sun to find Mercury.
That’s your starting point…then, follow the celestial trail of the other four bright lights.
As if that amazing space postcard from Mother Nature is not enough: there may also be a new ninth planet!
Of course, poor little Pluto was re-classified as a Dwarf Planet some time ago. But now, researchers at Cal-Tech think they may have found proof of an actual ninth planet.
Hess says that, while nobody has actually seen the thing, there’s enough activity in that part of space to know that something is out there…something like a planet.
So, what would they name this one? Hess says some want to pay homage to a legendary movie…so bad, it’s great: Plan 9 From Outer Space.
It could be called Planet 9….from outer space.
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Joel Nichols can be reached at joel.nichols@kclive.tv.
