ATLANTA — Stargazers will want to look to the sky just after sunset tonight as a planetary alignment is set to take place.
The Moon is set to be at the highest point of the alignment with Mars, Uranus, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter following down all the way to the horizon.
Those who want to see the alignment should check the western horizon right after sunset, said NASA astronomer Bill Cooke.
Sunset for the Atlanta area will be 7:54 p.m. on Tuesday.
Jupiter, Venus and Mars will all be pretty easy to see since they shine brightly, Cooke said. Venus will be one of the brightest things in the sky, and Mars will be hanging out near the moon with a reddish glow.
Mercury and Uranus could be trickier to spot, since they will be dimmer. You’ll probably need to grab a pair of binoculars, according to Cooke.
If you’re a “planet collector,” it’s a rare chance to spot Uranus, which usually isn't visible, Cooke said. Look out for its green glow just above Venus.
The planets will follow each other down to the horizon with Jupiter and Mercury dropping below the horizon soon after sunset, but Mars, Uranus and Venus hanging out a little longer in the sky, closer to the moon.
The weather in Atlanta for this evening shows cloud cover will be a bit of a factor, but the clouds will at least be breaking up a bit. Hopefully you will be able to catch a glance closer to the horizon.
If you miss the alignment with the parade of planets tonight, don't worry, a similar event is expected for June, according to Cooke.
-- The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this article