“Planetary alignments occur because the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun within roughly the same plane, known as the ecliptic plane,” Dr Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s College London, said.
Seven planets will appear to align in the night sky on the last day of February in what is known as a planetary parade.
“Groups of three, four or even five planets being visible aren’t uncommon, regularly appearing throughout each year,” Brown said.
“Mercury, Neptune and Saturn are all very close to the horizon in the early evening and, particularly in the case of Neptune and Saturn, will struggle to be seen in the twilight,” Brown said.
A parade of four or five planets visible to the naked eye happens every few years, according to Nasa.
