An extremely rare astronomical event will mean four planets in our solar system will be visible to the naked eye tonight. The celestial phenomenon is the result of a planetary parade where six planets lined up between Friday 24 January and Saturday 25.
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus will be distinguishable in the night skies for just one more month, a spectacle that will not be repeated for 400 years. Neptune and Uranus will only be visible with binoculars or a telescope.
Somerset astrophotographer Josh Dury captured the event from a spot high on the Mendip Hills. Speaking to the BBC, he said: “Now is a really exciting time to look up at the night sky.”
Sharing his photos on the social media platform Instagram, Mr Dury highlighted each planet and where they will be appearing.
“The bright planets will certainly be visible like Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.
“For the dimmer planets, Uranus and Neptune, you may want to use a pair of binoculars or a small telescope to see those,” he said.
Mr Dury added: “I was very lucky to photograph the planetary parade from one of my favourite spots on the Mendips.”
A planetary parade is an astronomical description used to outline the event of plants gathering closely on one side of the Sun at the same time. According to the Planetary Society, the spectacle should be visible to the naked eye until the end of February.
The best time to see the planetary parade today will be during the first few hours after the Sun goes down.
Saturn and Venus will appear close to each other in the southwest, with Jupiter high overhead and Mars in the east. Weather forecaster Met Office has said the best place to see it will be on Saturday evening in Scotland and southern England due to clear skies.
Astronomers have also advised stargazers to catch a glimpse of the event in an area with minimal light pollution while allowing 30 minutes for their vision to adjust to the darkness.
