Skywatchers are in for an extraordinary celestial treat this week as seven planets—Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn—will be briefly visible in the evening sky.
This rare event, known as a planetary parade, is the last time such an alignment will occur so clearly until 2040.
The best opportunity to witness this spectacular phenomenon will be just after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week.
During this planetary parade, four planets—Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury—will be visible to the naked eye.
Venus and Jupiter, both incredibly bright, will be the easiest to spot, while Mars will stand out with its distinct reddish hue. Saturn will be harder to see as it will be low on the horizon, and the outer planets, Uranus and Neptune, will require a telescope for clear viewing.
Although the planets will be aligned, the window of visibility will be brief, so timing is essential.
Dr. Edward Bloomer, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, explained, “There’s a rare opportunity to have seven planets in essentially a convenient place for you to look for them.”
However, the alignment won’t last long. As the sun sets, Saturn and Mercury will quickly set behind the horizon, making them particularly difficult to spot.
“You really only have a few minutes after sunset to catch them before they drop below the horizon,” Dr. Bloomer added.
After that, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars will remain visible for a much longer time.
For the best view, it’s recommended to head to a location with a clear, unobstructed horizon and minimal light pollution. Given the timing of the event, skywatchers should plan to be in place just after sunset for the best chance to see all seven planets in their brief alignment.
This planetary parade provides a rare opportunity to witness the mechanics of our solar system in action, with planets orbiting the Sun within a similar flat plane.
As they orbit at different speeds and distances from the Sun, their alignment appears as a stunning visual display, even though they are separated by vast distances in space.
The planets' orbital paths often align from Earth’s perspective, offering us a fleeting but unforgettable glimpse of the solar system’s structure.
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