Incredible planetary alignment will take place in UK skies tonight – here's how to spot it
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Stargazers will have a rare chance to see a once in a century phenomena tonight in the night skies over the UK. Six planets in our solar system will align in a rare occurrence, which only takes place every hundred years. What's more, the alignment could be visible for starry-eyed Brits.
Many of the planets are already visible to the naked eye in clear night skies, including Mars, Venus and Jupiter. Planetary alignment is an astronomical term for when several planets line up in relation to their position from the Sun. Tonight, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will all be aligned - four of which (Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn) you'll be able to see without a telescope. To see the other two, you may need an expensive pair of high-powered binoculars.
Remember that, while some planets are often visible in clear night skies, they are not stars so will not twinkle. Mars often had a reddish tint to it, if you look closely enough. Tonight it will appear on the eastern horizon, in the Gemini constellation.
Jupiter will be a little higher in Taurus, while Uranus will only be visible through a telescope or special binoculars in Aries. The other three will be closer to the western horizon, with Saturn and Venus both in Aquarius. As with all night sky gazing, Brits hoping to spot the planets should go somewhere far away from light pollution. Designated dark sky areas are now dotted around the UK, but any remote spot far away from settlements will do fine.
Tall buildings and trees may also obscure your view, so viewing from a highly elevated spot that's relatively flat, such as a field, is perfect for viewing. However, what the weather is doing may be most out of your control, with cloud forecast for many parts of the UK tonight.
