Six planets will parade across the sky this weekend in a rare celestial spectacle, experts have said.
For the next few days, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mercury, Neptune and Uranus will all be visible at the same time in the night sky – although binoculars or a telescope will be needed to spot the latter two planets.
In celebration of the event, NASA has released new sonifications – astronomical data from its Chandra X-ray Observatory translated into sound – for Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus.
Dr Megan Argo, reader in astrophysics at the University of Lancashire, said seeing so many planets in the sky at the same time was a rare phenomenon.
“We’re seeing this alignment now because the planets’ orbits have brought them into roughly the same area of the sky from our perspective on Earth. Since each planet circles the sun at a different speed, they constantly shift position against the backdrop of stars. Only occasionally do their paths line up in a way that places several of them together in our night sky,” she said.
“While it’s fairly common to spot four or five planets at the same time, seeing six is much rarer. All seven were visible together last year, but the next full line up won’t occur again until 2040.”
Argo said that on 28 February, and for a few days either side, all six planets would be visible, but that Mercury would be harder to spot by midweek, although Jupiter and Venus would be easily visible for months.
Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the planetary parade should head outside in the early evening – around 5.45pm in the UK and 6pm in the US – and find a spot with a clear view to the west, preferably up a hill with an unobstructed vista, Argo said.
The planets will appear in a curved line across the sky. In the northern hemisphere, Jupiter will be visible high in the south-east, with Mercury, Saturn, Neptune and Venus appearing in a cluster close to the horizon in the western sky.
Venus will be the brightest of the bunch with Mercury much fainter, to its right, and Saturn and Neptune a little above.
Argo said Uranus will be faint, sitting below the group of stars known as the Seven Sisters, adding that a stargazing app on your phone can help find the planet. While a pair of binoculars would also help, Argo said it was important never to look at the sun through binoculars or a telescope as it could cause permanent damage to the eyes.
Dr Ed Bloomer, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, said the event would also be visible in the southern hemisphere and have a similar pattern, although the parade will appear reversed compared with the northern hemisphere.
“In Australia, Jupiter will be seen in the north, and Uranus will be visible in the north-west just above the Seven Sisters,” said Argo. “In Australia, the Sun sets a little later at the moment, so after 6.45pm local time is when to head outside. However, Mercury is so close to the horizon at sunset that it’s unlikely to be visible in Australia, and Venus will set by 7.15pm so you will need to be quick to catch it.”
She added: “We’ve also got the moon in the mix actually tonight and over the next couple of days. So we get quite a lot of the visible solar system.”
