Exact time to see rare ‘planetary parade’ in UK this week as planets line up in row

This week, four planets will be visible to the naked eye in an exciting celestial display that occurs just once every few years.

The rare ‘planetary parade’ is made even more exciting as Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will sit in a line in the night sky, with Neptune and Uranus also visible through a telescope.

The planets will appear to stargazers to be in a row along the ecliptic, which is the path followed by the Sun. With the thin waxing crescent moon creating very little light in the sky, the planets should shine brightly enough for viewers to spot a celestial join-the-dots!

The much-anticipated planetary alignment, where six of the planets in our solar system become visible, was first spotted last week (January 21).

Planetary alignment is an astronomical term used to describe when planets gather closely on one side of the Sun at the same time.

Although planets are technically always ‘aligned’ because they orbit the solar system on the same plane (the ecliptic), it’s rare to see four or five planets at once – and even more rare for them to appear in a line in the sky. The best time to see this row of planets is on Friday evening (January 31) at 6.45pm UK time, according to Starwatch.

If stargazers join the planets with an imaginary line, this will reveal the solar system’s plane, known as the ecliptic path.

The display will mark the end of a spectacular month for stargazers, with a Quadrantid meteor shower, Mars at its best and brightest, and a visit from a once-in-a-life time comet.

Looking ahead, February is packed full of astronomical events, including a dazzling full moon and a super bright Venus.

Our ability to see the planetary parade is dependent on the day’s conditions and weather. If the sky is clear,