Astronomer reveals exact date of last chance to see rare space phenomenon this month

Space fans have the chance to see a rare celestial spectacle on one day this month as six planets appear visible in the night sky. Planet watchers will be treated to Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune appearing all together at the "best" time on February 28 in what has been dubbed a "planetary parade".

The parade happens because the planets in our solar system orbit Earth more or less in the same line. While the planets are millions or billions of miles apart, they still align. Seven planets did so on February 27 last year, including Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Tom Stallard, Professor of Planetary Astronomy at Northumbria University, told the Daily Express there are two reasons for the spectacle.

He said: "Firstly, there is a fairly unusual alignment between the four giant planets in the solar system - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

"The approximately 12, 30, 84 and 164 year orbits of each planet has resulted in them all being on one side of the Sun at the same time. That's been the case since about 2018 and will be for another year or so."

He continued: "Secondly, to see the planets in a row, the planets need to be in the night sky, which means they all need to be away from the Sun.

"Since the giant planets are so far away, over a few years, we just have to wait till the Earth orbits the Sun to the point that the planets are pointing away, which happens every year.

"But if we want to also see both Venus and Mercury, the chances of an alignment drop, since both planets need to be on the correct side of the Sun."

Professor Stallard said because Jupiter and Saturn are slowly drifting apart in the night sky, the window of time they can both be seen is getting much shorter.

The expert added: "To see the planets all in the night sky together we need a window where both Mercury and Venus are closer in the sky, not in actual distance, to the planets than the Sun, so that they remain in the night sky as the Sun dips below the horizon.

"That's technically true for most of February, until about March 5, but the best time to see this is when they are furthest from the Sun and that is at the very end of February, on the 28th."

He said this is probably our last chance to see all four giant planets in the night sky at the same time as Mercury and Venus for decades to come.

Saturn, Mercury and Venus should all be visible just after dusk, as long as you are at a dark and somewhat elevated location so you can see to the horizon.

Star-gazers who want to see Neptune, which will sit very close to Saturn, will need a telescope to see it.

Professor Stallard said: "I would strongly caution against looking for it so close to dusk. It will be very challenging to see and the risk of pointing a telescope close to the location of the Sun is always very worrying."

He added there will be a "planetary parade" on April 23, 2029, when all the planets except Neptune will be in the night sky just as the Sun sets and the moon would also be up.

The space expert said any night is a good one to look up and view the planets individually.

He said: "A 'parade' like this is moderately interesting, though you can't actually see the alignment with your eyes and while last year's alignment of all seven other planets in the night sky was incredibly rare, this is only moderately so.

"But it is the last time all four giant planets will be aligned in the night sky with Mercury and Venus for decades to come."