A planetary alignment, or a "planet parade" according to the internet, will grace our night sky just after dusk, according to NASA. We'll see six planets in the first part of February – Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus and Saturn – and on Feb. 28, they'll be joined by Mercury.
Though the planets are always “aligned,” seeing more than four in the sky is more uncommon. February’s lineup is a chance to glimpse all seven in one sweeping view.
Known as the "Parade of Planets," the celestial event will feature appearances from Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn through the end of January, according to Farmer's Almanac. Mercury will emerge in the night sky at the end of February, replacing Saturn.
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Planetary alignments aren't rare, but they can be when they involve six of the eight planets in our solar system.
The best time to see this row of planets is on Friday evening (January 31) at 6.45pm UK time, according to Starwatch. If stargazers join up Venus, Jupiter and Saturn and Mars with an imaginary line in the sky, this will reveal the ecliptic path that the Sun, Moon and planets all follow.
Baker said that there are other astronomical events that may be more interesting than the parade of planets. Baker said Mars and Jupiter would be best to see through a telescope right now. Mars is the closest it will be to Earth in the last two years, meaning the red planet will appear larger in the night sky.
Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn should be visible to the naked eye. The six planets will be visible until February 9. You'll need a high-powered viewing device like a telescope to spot Neptune and Uranus. Look toward the southeastern to southwestern sky.
Starting at 12:30 p.m. ET (1730 GMT) on Saturday (Jan. 25), astrophysicist Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project will stream live telescope views of all six of the planets in marching order. You can watch the livestream courtesy of the Virtual Telescope Project directly on their website or YouTube channel.
HELENA — The planets are aligned. Six planets, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus and Saturn can be seen in the night sky. You'll need binoculars or a telescope to see Neptune and Uranus but they're out there too.
Planetary Parade A rare alignment of Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Uranus, and Neptune is visible this month and into early February. Peak viewing occurs on January 29, coinciding with the new moon for darker skies.
Four planets will be in the parade in January, while seven will align in February. Here's how to see the events.