London, United Kingdom – A rare celestial event is set to take place at the end of February, as seven planets are expected to align in the night sky, forming a stunning planetary parade. Dr Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, explained that a planetary parade occurs when multiple planets are visible in the sky simultaneously. The impressive display depends on the number of planets involved and their visibility. This week, all seven planets are technically observable, with Venus, Jupiter, and Mars easily spotted without any aid.
According to NASA, a parade of four or five planets visible to the naked eye occurs every few years. However, witnessing a full seven-planet parade is a rare occurrence. In January, six planets were visible, with four seen without special equipment. Now, a dim Mercury joins Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in the night sky. Dr Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s College London, explained that these planetary alignments happen as the planets orbit the Sun within the same plane, known as the ecliptic plane.
The best time to view the planetary alignment in the UK will be on 28 February, shortly after sunset, with the planets positioned above the western horizon. In Australia, stargazers should look north after sunset, while in the US, experts advise heading out about 30 minutes after sunset and away from bright lights to catch the celestial show. Stargazing apps can assist in locating the planets just after sunset around the world.
For those wanting to observe the planets with a telescope, Dr. Brown recommends looking for moon shapes, such as Jupiter’s moons or the illuminated part of Venus’s surface resembling a tiny crescent moon. As the months progress, the planets will slowly make their exit through the spring. The next opportunity to witness a similar planetary alignment with all seven planets visible will be in 2040.