“Uncommon Opportunity”: South Africans to See All 7 Planets in the Sky in Great Planet Parade

• South Africans will experience the "uncommon opportunity" to witness the seven planets aligned in the sky
• Known as the Great Planet Parade, some planets will require people to use telescopes to properly see them
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration explained when is the best time to see the planets aligning and when the next occurrence will take place

The Great Planet Parade, a colloquial term describing the occurrence of the seven planets visible in the sky in one night, is set to take place soon, with South Africans afforded the opportunity to witness the rare celestial phenomenon.

When is the upcoming Great Planet Parade?

On Friday, 28 February, the seven planets in our solar system - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus - will align for a few minutes after sunset, an event that won't happen again this decade. So, it is definitely an opportunity many would not want to miss.

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America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) explained on its website that people would have to consider how high the planets will appear above the horizon to see them with the naked eye.

"This is crucial because Earth's atmosphere near the ground dims celestial objects as they rise or set. Even bright planets become difficult to spot when they're too low."

Spotting the 7 planets

NASA shares that Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will be visible without the use of a telescope or any other optical aid, while Neptune and Uranus may be harder to spot.

Catching Neptune in the sky would definitely require a telescope. The device is also recommended for Uranus. Although the latter planet is bright enough to see with good eyesight, it is still faint and needs dark skies and details about its location.

NASA shares that while the Great Planet Parade, which does not affect gravity or human life, isn't a single-day event, it affords "an uncommon opportunity to look up and appreciate our place in our solar system."

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Upcoming planetary alignments

According to the information hub Star Walk, the last time planets aligned was on 8 April 2024 during the solar eclipse and was visible in North America. It did not specify how many planets were visible.

NASA shares that in late August 2025 and late October 2028, four and five planets, respectively, will be visible before sunrise. In late February 2034, five planets will be visible after sunset, with Mercury and Venus being tricky to observe.

3 Other stories about our planets

• In 2022, Briefly News reported that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk believed anyone could afford the R1.5 million ticket to Mars. Many shared the billionaire was oblivious to reality.
• In the same year, the publication also shared the milestone of Earth reaching eight billion people and questioned if it was too much for the planet to handle.
• A University of Pretoria student made history when she became the first woman to obtain a doctorate in astrophysics from the institution. Her knowledge aims to help the world understand more about the planets in our solar system.

Source: Briefly News