Planetary parade 2025: Six planets line up across night sky

Calling all stargazing fans - this weekend has a real treat in store.

Six of the planets in our solar system will line up, in what is sometimes called a 'planetary parade'.

They include Venus, Jupiter and Saturn and Mars which can all be seen in the sky with the naked eye.

Uranus and Neptune will also be part of the line-up, but you'll need a telescope to spot them.

Are you excited to spot the planetary parade? Let us know in the comments below.

How does a planetary parade happen?

The planets in our solar system all travel around the Sun in an orbit.

Planets all take different times to complete a loop, but occasionally a few of them will reach a point at the same time.

When we look at the planets at this time from Earth, it appears as if they're in a line, or a parade!

It's fairly common for some of the planets to do this, however seeing six in a line is a pretty rare event.

Which planets will be visible?

Throughout January and February you'll be able to see a number of planets across the sky at night.

Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will appear together in a row -although Neptune and Uranus will only be visible with binoculars or a telescope.

In late February, for one night only, they will be joined by Mercury - which will make it a rare seven-planet alignment visible in the sky.

It is a special opportunity for stargazers, as the next planetary alignment visible from Earth, is not expected until 2040.