Delawareans have a good reason to wake up early on Monday to hopefully witness an event that’s out of this world. And that’s no exaggeration.

The Great American Eclipse is long gone, and now the newest reason to sky gaze is to see the planetary alignment, also known as the “planetary parade.”

But it all depends on how the weather holds up. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know for this special event on June 3.

Planetary alignment 2024 on Monday, June 3

Planetary alignment is when several planets gather closely on one side of the sun at the same time, according to Starwalk.space.

Before dawn June 3, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will be aligned in the sky.

While six planets will be part of the alignment, only Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn may be spotted with the naked eye. Neptune and Uranus will be visible only with the help of high-powered binoculars or a telescope, reports LiveScience.

How does planetary alignment 2024 work?

All planets revolve around the sun along the same orbital plane, known as the ecliptic on Earth, and all of them travel along it and eventually catch up with one another over time. Once the planets meet, it looks as though they are aligned, but the line will not be perfectly straight, according to Space.com.

With each planet moving at different speeds, the alignment will last for only a brief time, depending on each planet’s distance from the sun. This is also why planetary alignments do not always feature the same number of planets.

• A conjunction is when two or more planets come close together in the sky.

• A mini planetary alignment includes three planets.

• A small planetary alignment includes four planets.

• A large planetary alignment includes five or six planets.

• A great or full planetary alignment features all solar system planets, and sometimes Pluto.

Where to see the planetary alignment 2024 on June 3

The planetary alignment will be visible almost everywhere in the U.S. on June 3, but the ideal time for tuning in may vary depending on your specific location. High mountains and tall buildings in your area could also hide the planets from view, according to Starwalk.space.

The best spot for viewing will be a portion of dark sky without light pollution and a clear view of the horizon. Most who view the event with the naked eye will see a crescent moon with Mars shining to the right, looking like a bright orange star, and Saturn farther off to the right, looking like a glowing yellow-white star, reports LiveScience.

What is the weather forecast for planetary alignment on June 3?

In Delaware before dawn (which is before 5 a.m.) on Monday, June 3 — the forecast is a chance of rain and about 66 degrees. On Tuesday, June 4, the forecast is partly cloudy and 64 degrees. On Wednesday, it’s mostly cloudy and 63 degrees, according to weather.gov.

The alignment may last for more than one day, so it is possible to see it on another night if you miss it the first time around.  If you end up missing out completely, planetary alignment is not as rare as it sounds, and there will be chances to witness the parade again.

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When will the next planetary alignment be visible?

From Space.com‘s perspective, it is quite common to see planets lined up along the ecliptic from our perspective on Earth, and it occurs a few times a year.

In case the celestial event on June 3 doesn’t pan out for you, the next planetary parades to keep in mind occur on Aug. 28 and Jan. 18, 2025, both featuring Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, according to Starwalk.space.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Planetary parade is June 3. Will the planets align for Delaware?