It's that time of year again when planets align and brilliantly show off. The planet alignment of 2025 has started and can be viewed in the southwestern horizon from twilight to dark skies. January is the best time to view the planet as it continues to brighten upon its closest approach to Earth in over two years. It peaked on the 15th but will remain spectacular over the next few weeks. (File photo)

CHENANGO COUNTY — It's that time of year again when planets align and brilliantly show off. The planet alignment of 2025 has started and can be viewed in the southwestern horizon from twilight to dark skies.

January is the best time to view the planet as it continues to brighten upon its closest approach to Earth in over two years. It peaked on the 15th but will remain spectacular over the next few weeks.

According to NASA’s skywatching site, planets always appear in a line in the sky, so the “alignment” isn’t something extraordinary, but it is less less common to see four or five bright planets at once, which doesn’t happen every year.

That line is called the ecliptic, and it signifies the plane of the solar system in which the planets move around the Sun.

My husband and I live in the country, where street lights rarely invade the dark skies. This proves to be a true perk when searching for planets or watching different moon phases. As an avid skywatcher, I tend to look up to the sky more in January than any other month.

The brilliance of sparkly planets takes my breath away and even though they are many miles away, I still feel an attachment to them, like the universe is saying hi and each planet is on stage, taking a bow.

Nasa noted Venus and Saturn will dazzle close to one another but Venus will be the brighter of the two. Above them, Jupiter will glow up as the second brightest point of light and can be seen with the naked-eye.

Mars cannot be missed as the red showy planet sits in the eastern horizon. The Red Planet is directly opposite the Sun from Earth and shines brightly all night.

Uranus can be spotted through a telescope or binoculars and can be found near Jupiter while Neptune sits near Venus and Saturn, completing this amazing celestial event.

For more information, go to science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/whats-up-january-2025-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/