By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Skywatchers will have a rare opportunity this week to witness a ‘planetary parade’ as seven planets: Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn become briefly visible in the evening sky.
This rare event, which will not occur again in such a visible alignment until 2040, offers a fleeting chance to see multiple planets at once.
According to BBC, the best viewing times will be just after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
While four of the planets—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars—can be seen with the naked eye, Saturn will be lower on the horizon and more challenging to spot. A telescope will be necessary to observe Uranus and Neptune.
Dr Edward Bloomer, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, highlighted the significance of the event, saying, “There’s a rare opportunity to have seven planets in essentially a convenient place for you to look for them.”
However, he cautioned that visibility will be short-lived, as some planets will quickly dip below the horizon. “You really only have a few minutes after sunset to catch them before they drop below the horizon. After that, you’ll still be able to see Venus, Jupiter, and Mars clearly for a much longer time,” he added.
The alignment is a result of the planets’ orbits within the same flat plane around the Sun. As they move at different speeds and distances, they occasionally appear to line up from Earth’s perspective, creating a striking visual display. Venus and Jupiter will be the brightest and easiest to locate, while Mars will have a distinct reddish hue.
“Uranus is technically visible with the naked eye, but you’d need perfect eyesight and ideal conditions,” Dr Bloomer explained. To maximise visibility, he recommends finding a location with minimal light pollution and a clear horizon.
“If you just pop out of your kitchen into your back garden, you will take time to adjust to the light levels. Give it a bit of time – your eyes take about half an hour to fully adjust,” he advised. “Avoid looking at your phone, get comfortable, and ensure you have an unobstructed view of the horizon.”
While this rare event is drawing excitement, Dr Bloomer encouraged stargazers to regularly observe the night sky, noting, “See how things change,” and describing it as “a chance to witness the ongoing mechanics of the solar system at work.”
Weather conditions may affect visibility, with cloud and rain expected at times. Tuesday evening will begin with clear spells before cloud and rain move in from the west. Wednesday night is expected to be cloudier with occasional showers, while Thursday should offer a drier and clearer view.
The best conditions are anticipated on Friday, the peak of the planetary parade, when high pressure is expected to keep skies largely clear after sunset, though mist and fog may develop later in the night.