Don’t Miss Out: Witness Mercury Join the Rare Seven-Planet Alignment in Spectacular Planetary Parade!

On the last day of February, get ready for a stunning sight in the night sky! Seven planets will align in what’s called a planetary parade. This special event happens when multiple planets appear to line up together, creating a beautiful view for stargazers.

Dr. Greg Brown, an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, explains, “A planetary parade shows us many planets at once. The excitement of the parade depends on how many planets are visible and how easily we can see them.”

This February, all seven planets can technically be seen together, but spotting them can be tricky. Mercury, Neptune, and Saturn sit low on the horizon in the early evening, making them hard to catch, especially in twilight. Uranus and Neptune are faint as well, so you’ll likely need binoculars or a telescope to spot them.

On the brighter side, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars are easy to see without any equipment. NASA mentions that while groups of three, four, or five planets often appear in the sky, full seven-planet parades are rare.

A similar parade happened last June, but only two planets were visible to the naked eye. In January, there were six planets in view, but now Mercury has joined the mix, creating a breathtaking gathering.

This month, you can easily see Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. Saturn and Mercury are faint, hiding close to the horizon. For Uranus and Neptune, binoculars or telescopes will be your best friends.

Dr. Shyam Balaji from King’s College London explains why these alignments occur. The planets orbit the Sun in a flat plane called the ecliptic plane. They travel at different speeds and distances, which creates moments when they seem to line up from our viewpoint on Earth.

For the best view in the UK, look shortly after sunset on February 28, when the planets will be above the western horizon. Stargazers in Australia should look north, while those in the US are advised to head out about 30 minutes after sunset and find a place away from bright lights for a cleaner view.

Consider using stargazing apps to help you locate the planets after sunset. If you’re using a telescope, look for moon shapes. Dr. Brown mentions that you might see the moons of Jupiter or the crescent shape of Venus.

The planets will gradually move on as spring unfolds, so take a moment to enjoy this cosmic display!

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