A big parade is coming up, and it has nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day. This one will be what many experts are calling a “rare planetary parade,” with seven planets lining up in the night sky on Friday, Feb. 28.
While it is unusual for as many as seven planets to align in a fairly straight line when viewed from Earth, some astronomy experts are toning down the excitement by pointing out that it will be difficult for anyone to see all seven planets with the naked eye.
“Most of the planets will be visible to the unaided eye, but you will need a good telescope to see the full show,” Space.com said.
Experts at NASA agree, saying this: “Claims about rare six- or seven-planet alignments which include Uranus and Neptune should be viewed with the understanding that these two distant planets will not be visible to the unaided eye.”
So, what is this planetary parade all about?
In short, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will be aligning in the sky just after dusk on Friday, according to Space.com.
“While most of these planets have been visible in the night sky since January, Mercury is the latest planet to join the procession, reaching its highest point above the horizon,” the website notes. “The seven planets will share the sky for a few days before Mercury and Saturn sink too low on the horizon for most people to see.”
A report by WTTW TV in Chicago said it will be difficult for skywatchers to see at least two of the planets.
“It would take a clear view of the western horizon, at twilight, to briefly catch Mercury and Saturn, with the glow of sunset, urban light pollution and obstructions like trees adding to the degree of difficulty,” the TV station said.
If you don’t catch a glimpse of the planets Friday night, you will have to wait a long time to see a repeat of this unusual sky event.
Space.com says the next alignment of seven planets will not be visible from Earth until 2040.
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Stories by Len Melisurgo
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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality.