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On the last day of February, a rare planetary parade will light up the night sky, featuring seven planets in alignment—a spectacle not to be seen again until 2040. This alignment occurs when multiple planets appear to line up in the night sky, a phenomenon known as a planetary parade. The visibility and awe of these events depend on how many planets are in the alignment and their brightness, according to Dr. Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. “This week, all seven planets are technically visible, but not all are easy to spot,” Brown explained. “Mercury, Neptune, and Saturn are near the horizon in the early evening, making them harder to see. Neptune and Saturn, in particular, will be challenging to spot in the twilight, while Uranus is faint and nearly invisible without a telescope or binoculars.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Astronomy | Space | Universe (@thedeepastronomy) On the other hand, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars will be easy to spot with the naked eye, offering a stunning view of three planets in the clear night sky. While planetary alignments involving three, four, or five planets are relatively common, the rare event of seven planets aligning at once makes this particular parade an exceptional sight. NASA notes that such alignments happen occasionally, but complete seven-planet parades are a rare occurrence. The next one is set to take place in 2040. A similar alignment occurred last June, but only two planets were visible without special equipment. In January, six planets could be seen, with four of them visible to the naked eye. Now, Mercury joins the lineup, completing the set of seven. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Astronomy | Space | Universe (@thedeepastronomy) The alignment occurs because the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun along the same plane, known as the ecliptic plane. Although they orbit at different speeds and distances, there are moments when they appear to line up from Earth’s perspective. Dr. Shyam Balaji, a researcher at King’s College London, recommends stargazers in the UK look just after sunset on February 28, when the planets will be positioned above the western horizon. In the US, observers should head out 30 minutes after sunset, away from bright lights, for the best chance to catch the show. Stargazing apps can also help guide viewers to the right spot in the sky. View this post on Instagram A post shared by astrosapientes | Pure Astronomy (@astrosapientes) For those using telescopes, look for the moon shapes of Jupiter’s moons or the crescent shape of Venus to enhance the experience. The planets will gradually move out of alignment as spring progresses, making this a fleeting but spectacular event for stargazers around the world.
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