Technologies

Planet Parade in the Sky: How to View 4 Planets Lined Up This Week

The cosmic lineup of Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Neptune is here.

Space activity has picked up this month, with two meteor showers and the historic Artemis II mission, which sent humans back to the moon and splashed down on Earth last Friday.

Stargazers have a few more things coming in April, including a planet parade where four planets — Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Neptune — appear in the sky at the same time.

The small parade started on Thursday, April 16, and lasts until nearly the end of the month. All four planets will be relatively close to one another on the eastern horizon just before sunrise each day. To view the parade, you’ll need to stay up almost all night or wake up very early. And it’s best to grab a telescope.

The optimal time to view it depends on where you are. If you’re at a higher elevation, try just before 6 a.m. local time. If you’re at sea level, wait for the planets to come up above the horizon just after 6 a.m. local time. The planets will be swiftly chased by the sun, giving viewers a narrow window to view all four planets before sunrise.

Since sunrise varies based on location, you may have as long as 40 minutes or as little as 20 minutes to see all four planets. You’ll want to check the local sunrise times to see if you have enough time to spot all four before the sun comes up.

The proximity to the sun and the narrow window make April’s planet parade one of the more difficult ones to see, according to Geza Gyuk, senior director of astronomy at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium.

«Mercury is, as always, close to the sun and hard to see,» Gyuk told me. «Since Mars and Saturn will be close to Mercury, they will also be hard to see without a very low eastern horizon.»

The best days to try to see the planet parade are between Saturday, April 18 and Friday, April 24. Before those dates, Saturn is a bit close to the sun and rises late over the horizon, and after them, Mercury starts to drift precariously close to the sun.

Get out (or borrow) a telescope

Skygazers need a telescope at a minimum to see all four planets, since Neptune is not visible to the naked eye.

Even using a telescope, Gyuk says it takes some skill to pick out Neptune in the night sky. He recommends taking a pair of binoculars as well, since it’ll make the other three planets easier to see. But he warns skygazers to be careful not to look directly at the sun while using them.

The usual stargazing rules apply: You’ll have better luck away from light pollution, so leave the city and suburbs to get the best view.

The chance to see four planets in the sky at the same time, and so close together, isn’t terribly common. Gyuk says that astronomers tend not to refer to these events as planet parades — instead calling them «planetary alignments» — but also rarely pass up the opportunity to view planets in unique configurations like this.

«I always try to catch a glimpse at least whenever this sort of planetary alignment occurs,» Gyuk said. «It is a thrill to me.»

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Watch on YouTube

Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im