Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter Will Align in the Night Sky This Thanksgiving—Here's How to See Them

Madeline Buiano
·1 min read

There's more to look forward to this Thanksgiving than just turkey and pumpkin pie—particularly if you're a fan of astronomy. According to MentalFloss, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter will align in the night sky on November 25. The celestial event is one of many this year. From meteor showers and supermoons to a total lunar eclipse and triple planet conjunction, 2021 has been no slouch when it comes to memorable stargazing events.

If you want to see these three planets align, look to the sky just after sunset on Thanksgiving. Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter are always visible to the naked eye, but they don't always align in a close formation, outshining all the other nearby stars in the sky.

rare image of planets aligning
rare image of planets aligning

Courtesy of NASA / Graeme L. White & Glen Cozens (James Cook University)

Related: How to Host a Stargazing Party

The three bodies will appear above the southern horizon with Venus being the easiest to spot, followed by Jupiter, and Saturn being the dimmest. A telescope isn't necessary. Simply find a dark area nearby and give your eyes time to adjust before seeking out the planetary formation.

If you fall deep into a post-turkey nap and miss the event, don't worry. You'll still be able to spot the three plants clustered together a few days following Thanksgiving and into December. But that's not the only exciting thing stargazers have to look forward to in the month of November: One of the most historically impressive meteor showers of all time—the Leonid Meteor Shower—is predicted to peak on the morning of November 17 this year.