by Northeast stargazers are preparing for a rare planetary event that will be visible starting next month.
While many were thrilled by Saturday’s planetary parade of six planets, astronomers at Northumberland’s Kielder Observatory have discovered an even rarer sight is on the horizon.
In February, Mercury will join the alignment, creating a seven-planet parade not expected again for centuries.
(Image: Kielder Observatory)
Dan Pye, director of astronomy and science communications at the observatory, said: “The six planets – Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune – are best viewed from January 25, but during one night in February Mercury will be close Watch the parade, which means we will have a rare seven-planet alignment.
“The planets are all tens to hundreds of millions of kilometers apart, but by the 25th they will be the physically closest in the sky to Earth.
“While most can be viewed with the naked eye, the two most distant, Neptune and Uranus, can only be seen with a telescope.
“Weather permitting as of February 25, all seven planets can be seen arcing across the sky due to their position within the orbital plane of the solar system – a sight we may not see again for a few hundred years.”
His comments come after Dan Monk, director of astrophotography at Kielder Observatory, threw up an image of the six planets aligned at Welltown Crags, Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland.
