Stargazers are to be treated to a parade of the planets as an extremely rare conjunction in the night’s skies will see six visible at once.
Four will be able to be seen with the naked eye, while two will need a telescope.
But keen skywatchers who do reach for magnifying equipment will be in for a treat, as the biggest moons of the solar system’s largest planet will also be visible when viewed through binoculars.
Dr Alexander Scholz, of the University of St Andrews School of Physics and Astronomy and Director of the University of St Andrews Observatory, explained: “It is pretty normal to see one planet on the night sky.
“Seeing two or three at the same time happens regularly as well. In January 2025 we can see six at the same time, all in the convenient early evening hours.
“If you are interested in planets, now is a pretty good time to see them.”
Dr Scholz said that all would be able to be seen in the early evening throughout the month and into February, meaning there should be ample opportunity to catch a glimpse of the heavenly bodies.
He said: “Venus is the very bright object in the west, visible just after sunset and through the evening.
“Saturn is a slightly less bright object nearby, also setting a few hours after sunset. Jupiter is the very bright, yellow thing high up on the eastern and southern sky, visible throughout the night.
“Mars is low on the eastern sky after sunset, but rises higher as the evening goes on - betrayed by its red colour. Venus, Jupiter and Mars will be the brightest lights in the sky - apart from the moon, of course.”
He added: “With strong binoculars, or a small telescope, Jupiter will show its four Galilean moons, which slowly dance around their planet.
“With a slightly larger telescope, Saturn will show its rings. Two more planets are on the sky, but more difficult to observe: Uranus needs a dark site and a skilled observer. Neptune definitely needs a telescope.”
They follow the same path because they all orbit the Sun in the same plane. They do that, because all planets, including Earth, formed around the same time - four and a half billion years ago, from a flat nebula that was surrounding a newly born star; our Sun.
Dr Scholz said: “The alignment of the planet on the sky is a great pointer to the fact that the planets of the solar system are all siblings, formed at the same time, from a swirling flattened dough of gas, dust and ice - a process that is still happening in other places. For example in the Orion nebula, which is visible just a bit below Jupiter, towards the south.
“Several astronomers at the University of St Andrews are observing the birthplaces of planets, using infrared and submm telescopes, to understand the processes that shape planetary systems throughout the Galaxy.
“The great planet parade of 2025 is a spectacle that can be seen over the coming weeks, even into February. Don’t worry if you miss it this week, the planets are slowly moving and will be there for a while.”
Share