With so much going on in the world, it’s easy to forget that we’re just out here floating on a giant piece of rock – and no one knows why.
I mean, if you start zooming out, it’s really quite terrifying how miniscule Earth is in our solar system.
The good news is we sometimes get a pretty clear view of other planets and this evening (21 January) is a better time than ever to witness a ‘planetary parade’.
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Credit: X/@SkyNews
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What is a planetary parade?
In this case, a planetary parade is when six planets – Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Venus – all appear to line up in the night sky when they orbit.
It’s important to note that this alignment in the sky is only from Earth’s perspective.
When is the planetary parade happening?
The BBC reports that the six planets are already visible in the night sky, with one more bonus planet (Mercury) joining the six in late February.
A planetary parade is now upon us (Getty Stock Images)
How do I see the planetary parade and when is the best time?
As always, there is a caveat and you’ll need a clear night sky to properly see the planetary parade, so it’s best to escape the city lights and get out into the countryside.
For the best chance of a sighting, you’ll need to go outside in the evening a few hours after sunset, and turn southeast.
And although Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all bright enough to see with the naked eye, you’ll likely need binoculars or a telescope to spot Uranus and Neptune.
“There is something special about looking at the planets with your own eyes,” Jenifer Millard, an astronomer at Fifth Star Labs, told the outlet.
“Yes, you can go on Google and get a more spectacular view of all these planets. But when you’re looking at these objects, these are photons that have travelled millions or billions of miles through space to hit your retinas. It’s just happenstance that they happen to be in this position of their orbits.”
Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Venus are now visible in the night sky (Getty Stock Images)
How rare are planetary parades?
Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer Finn Burridge told the MailOnline: “Often planets will rise as others have set, but it is fairly rare for multiple planets to be visible simultaneously.
“Some parades may only include three or four planets, this year we have six, which is very rare and quite significant.”
Jake Foster, an astronomy education officer, added: “Venus will be noticeably the brightest of all four planets, shining a bright white light, and Jupiter will be the second brightest, also shining white in colour.
“Saturn will be clearly fainter than the other three, due to its much further distance from the sun. Mars will have the most distinctive difference from the others because of its colouration, appearing as a bright orange point of light to the naked eye.”
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