7 planets to appear in night sky for last time until 2040

ISTANBUL

Skywatchers can look forward to a special celestial event this week as seven planets — Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn — will briefly be visible in the evening sky.

This rare celestial event, known as a "planetary parade," will not occur again until 2040, according to a BBC report on Tuesday.

The best opportunity to observe as many planets as possible will be just after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Four planets – Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars – will be visible to the naked eye, while Saturn may be harder to spot as it will be low on the horizon. A telescope will be needed to observe Uranus and Neptune.

A clear sky and an unobstructed view of the horizon will provide the best chance to see all seven planets, though the opportunity will be brief.

Edward Bloomer, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: "There's a rare opportunity to have seven planets in essentially a convenient place for you to look for them."

As the sun sets, Saturn and Mercury will also be descending, making them particularly difficult to spot.

"You really only have a few minutes after sunset to catch them before they drop below the horizon. After that, you'll still be able to see Venus, Jupiter, and Mars clearly for a much longer time," Bloomer added.

The planets in our solar system orbit the Sun along roughly the same flat plane as Earth.

Because they travel at different speeds and distances from the Sun, there are times when they appear to align from Earth's perspective, creating a stunning visual display—though in reality, they remain separated by vast distances in space.

Venus and Jupiter will be the easiest to spot due to their brightness, while Mars will stand out with its distinct reddish hue.

"Uranus is technically visible with the naked eye, but you'd need perfect eyesight and ideal conditions," Bloomer noted.

To maximize your chances of seeing as many planets as possible, he recommended finding a location with minimal light pollution and a clear horizon.

"If you just pop out of your kitchen into your back garden, you will take time to adjust to the light levels. Give it a bit of time - your eyes take about half an hour to fully adjust," Bloomer stated.

While this planetary alignment is a rare event, he encouraged people to make stargazing a regular habit.

"See how things change," Bloomer noted, adding that watching the night sky offers "a chance to witness the ongoing mechanics of the solar system at work."