A mini ‘planet parade’ is set to take place in the skies this week, as two planets meet the Moon in the morning sky – here’s everything you need to know and when you can witness the wonder
Earlier this year, UK skygazers were treated to a rare celestial spectacle that will not be seen again for another 15 years. Now, another phenomenon is set to appear this week.
The grand planetary alignment dazzled UK skies in February 2025 as seven planets formed a spectacular ‘parade’ in the evening sky. The rare display saw Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Mercury all visible above the horizon simultaneously.
A planetary alignment, also known as a planet parade, is an astronomical term used to describe when planets gather closely on one side of the Sun at the same time. Although planets are always ‘aligned’ because they orbit the solar system along the same plane, it’s rare to see five or six planets in the sky at once, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Luckily for stargazers, there’s a ‘mini parade’ on the cards this week as two planets meet the Moon in the morning sky, according to EarthSky. Here’s everything you need to know about witnessing the ‘mini planet parade’ in the sky this week…
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What day is the ‘mini parade’?
On Friday morning (May 23), Saturn, a thin Crescent Moon and Venus will make a close approach in the sky.
This comes just one month after the Moon’s last rendezvous with Venus and Saturn, in a rare triple conjunction on April 25 dubbed the cosmic ‘smiley face’. For those with a wild imagination, the two planets appeared as the ‘eyes’ and the waning crescent Moon the ‘smile’ – if you tilted your head to the side, that was.
Now, the Solar System worlds are visible again, but this time they’re roughly aligned along the Sun’s path in a planet ‘parade’.
What is the exact time to see the ‘mini parade’?
The Moon and Venus are the brightest objects in the night sky, and should be easily visible to those with a clear eastern horizon, says Albert Zijlstra, Professor of Astrophysics at The University of Manchester. “With some luck and a clear eastern horizon, Venus and the Moon should be visible,” he explained.
The optimal time to spot the cosmic duo is between 4.30 and 4.45am BST in the eastern sky, according to Prof Zijlstra. “After that the sky is becoming brighter and Venus harder to see,” he added.
What is the best way to see it?
Venus, reaching just eight degrees above the horizon, will be to the left of the thin Moon, with Saturn a little further to the right. However, Saturn will be much fainter and difficult to see with the naked eye. Prof Zijlstra suggests that the planet would be best viewed with binoculars.
He also cautions that any cloud would obscure the view. Current Met Office cloud cover maps suggest that clear skies are on the cards for much of the UK at around 4am on Friday (May 23). That said, it is still too early to know for certain what the weather will be like for sky watchers hoping to catch a glimpse of the cosmic gathering.
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