PLANETS

To spot all five, timing and a clear view of the western horizon will be key.

Venus, Jupiter and the Moon were aligned and could be seen with the naked eye on Wednesday night

The dazzlingly bright planets will appear extremely close together in the dark sky on Saturday.

This past week has been a busy one in the space world: We’re talking about a telescope’s final destination one million miles from Earth, four tons of metal barreling toward the moon and a mystery in the cosmos that is baffling scientists.

Mars and Venus will be a mere half-degree apart, or about the width of an index finger at arm's length, in the sky on Monday and Tuesday nights.

For the first time in over a decade, five of the brightest planets will align in the dawn sky and be visible to the naked eye. Dr. Derrick Pitts, Planetarium Director for the Franklin Institute of Technology, joins CBSN to discuss the planetary spectacle.