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Five planets line up in night sky Five planets line up in night sky
(about 1 hour later)
Jupiter, Venus, the Moon, and Mars should all be easily visible, however Uranus and Mercury might be more of a challengeJupiter, Venus, the Moon, and Mars should all be easily visible, however Uranus and Mercury might be more of a challenge
Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Mars, and the Moon aligned in an arc across the evening sky tonight, with some visible to the naked eye.Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Mars, and the Moon aligned in an arc across the evening sky tonight, with some visible to the naked eye.
This is often called "a planetary parade" and was visible after sunset in the west.This is often called "a planetary parade" and was visible after sunset in the west.
A good view of the horizon and clear skies will offer the best chance of spotting the alignment.A good view of the horizon and clear skies will offer the best chance of spotting the alignment.
Last summer Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn came together in a rare planetary conjunction.Last summer Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn came together in a rare planetary conjunction.
Welsh island has one of the world's darkest skiesWelsh island has one of the world's darkest skies
Massive asteroid passes between Earth and MoonMassive asteroid passes between Earth and Moon
Webb telescope detects dust storm on distant worldWebb telescope detects dust storm on distant world
"To the naked eye, even from a bright city, Jupiter, Venus, the Moon, and Mars should be easily visible. Uranus should be visible with a medium-sized telescope, and Mercury is that added challenge for the very determined," said astronomer Jake Foster from Royal Observatory Greenwich."To the naked eye, even from a bright city, Jupiter, Venus, the Moon, and Mars should be easily visible. Uranus should be visible with a medium-sized telescope, and Mercury is that added challenge for the very determined," said astronomer Jake Foster from Royal Observatory Greenwich.
He said that such alignments were very particular to our perspective from Earth.He said that such alignments were very particular to our perspective from Earth.
"The planets aren't aligned right now, they are all spread out across the Solar System but just from our perspective, every once in a while they get close enough to each other in the sky that we're able to see quite a few at once," he said."The planets aren't aligned right now, they are all spread out across the Solar System but just from our perspective, every once in a while they get close enough to each other in the sky that we're able to see quite a few at once," he said.
The best shot at spotting them is away from any bright city lights, somewhere with a clear, unobstructed view. You need to be observing early in the evening because Mercury and Jupiter will quickly disappear over the horizon.The best shot at spotting them is away from any bright city lights, somewhere with a clear, unobstructed view. You need to be observing early in the evening because Mercury and Jupiter will quickly disappear over the horizon.
The easiest way to know whether you're looking at planets or stars is by looking at what type of light they are emitting. Some of the best views were from northern parts of Scotland and its islands due to clear skies.
"Stars twinkle but planets don't. So if you are are seeing a bright light that is steady and not flickering or twinkling and not blinking - because that might be a plane - then you are almost certainly looking at one of those planets," said Mr Foster. Anglesea, north Wales, has some of the darkest skies in Europe.
Stargazers across the UK are hoping skies will stay clear enough for them to catch a glimpse. Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island), off the Llŷn Peninsula, has become the first site in Europe to be awarded International Dark Sky Sanctuary certification.
in Anglesea, Wales, famed for having some of the darkest skies in Europe, Hanna Baguley was heading out with a group of fellow amateur astrophotographers. Speaking from Anglesea, Dani Robertson, the dark skies officer for North Wales, said the evening had been a visual treat despite a light cloudy haze.
"We've had Jupiter, Venus and the Moon visible and tonight we're looking at five of them potentially," she said. "It's looking clear now. The weather's really unpredictable around the UK but you never know when you might get a break in the clouds." "I'm in my back garden and I can see a very nice little crescent Moon, to the top left and just above it I can see Mars, which has a lovely red glow, and a bit lower towards the horizon there's a really bright light and that's Venus," she said. "If it were clearer, I could see all of it, the only one you wouldn't be able to see is Uranus, you'd need a telescope."
Who knows what our cameras will pick up. With something as big as this going on it's always worth a try." Ms Robertson, an amateur astronomer, said that 98% of people in the UK lived under polluted skies.
"It's a shame because that's our home galaxy, another part of being human that is being denied to lots of people," she said. "When we look at the night sky, things like Taurus, the Pleiades, the Moon, they've been the same for the whole of human existence."
But she said that unlike other types of pollution, this one was relatively easy to fix permanently.
"Once we've fixed a light to make dark skies, that's the problem solved."
Five planets to line up in night skyFive planets to line up in night sky
Are you planning to view the five planets in alignment? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you planning to view the five planets in alignment? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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