An unforgettable spectacle awaits space enthusiasts: all seven planets—Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn—will be visible in the evening sky of Earth for a brief period, reports a correspondent from Kazpravda.kz citing the Russian service of BBC.
This phenomenon is known as a planetary parade—when several planets align closely together, creating the illusion from Earth that they are lined up in a row.
The astronomical event (commonly referred to in scientific circles as planetary alignment) can be observed from January 21 to February 28; this will be the last time until 2040 that the seven planets will align so favorably for observers on Earth.
The best chance to see the maximum number of planets will be shortly after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week.
Four planets—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars—will be visible to the naked eye. Saturn will be more challenging to spot as it will be positioned low on the horizon. Observing the other two planets, Uranus and Neptune, will require a telescope.
With a clear horizon and good weather conditions, there will be a greater chance of seeing all seven planets. However, this opportunity will be very brief.
As the Sun sets, Saturn and Mercury will also set, making them particularly difficult to observe.
Venus and Jupiter will be the easiest to notice due to their brightness, while Mars will display a distinctive reddish hue.
Uranus can technically be seen with the naked eye, but this requires perfect vision and ideal conditions.