Stargazers will be treated to a rare alignment event later this month (Image: Getty)
Seven planets are set to line up in a “planetary parade” this month for the last time before 2040.
The rare astronomical event will see Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury and Saturn appear at the same time, although not all will be visible with the naked eye.
Six planets have already been on parade in the night sky, and Mercury is set to complete the line-up on February 28.
The alignment is expected to be most visible in the evening, just after sunset.
Dr Christopher Barnes, a senior lecturer at the University of Derby, told The Independent: “Mars will appear in the east, Jupiter and Uranus in the southeast, and Venus, Neptune, and Saturn in the west.
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“Even people in cities and light-polluted areas will be able to see most of the planets, but for the best views, it is advisable to find a darker location.
“Almost all the planets will be visible to the naked eye, except for Uranus and Neptune, which will require binoculars or a telescope.”
Planetary parades occur when planets reach the same point in their orbits around the sun at the same time.
The planets will appear in an arc across the sky due to their orbital plane in the Solar System.
Visibility on February 28 may also depend on the , with clear skies vital for getting a good glimpse of the celestial spectacle.
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Stargazers who venture outside are advices to wrap up warmly as cold and frosty nights continue.
Jenifer Millard, a science communicator and astronomer at Fifth Star Labs, told the there was “something special about looking at the planets with your own eyes”.
She added: “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.”
A seven-planet parade visible from Earth is not expected to occur again until 2040.