Astronomical event of the week: all seven planets of the solar system — Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury and Saturn — will appear simultaneously in the evening sky, daily.afisha.ru reports with reference to the BBC.
This rare phenomenon, known as a planetary parade, will be visible for the last time until 2040. The best conditions for observation will be shortly after sunset from Tuesday to Friday of this week.
Four planets — Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Mars — will be visible to the naked eye. Saturn will be harder to spot due to its low position above the horizon, and a telescope will be required to observe Uranus and Neptune. It is important to note that the time window for observing all seven planets will be extremely short.
The planets of our solar system orbit the sun in roughly the same plane as the earth. Because they move at different speeds and are at different distances from the sun, they sometimes appear to line up from the earth’s perspective, creating an impressive sight, although in fact the planets are still separated by vast cosmic distances.
For the best chance of seeing most of the planets, it is recommended to choose a location with minimal light pollution and a good view of the horizon.
