Five planets set to be visible in the sky this weekend

Here’s hoping for more clear skies to continue into the weekend as stargazers are in for a treat with a rare planetary parade.

On Saturday morning, June 17th, five planets will be visible in the sky, but only for a short while.

For Friday night gallivanters strolling home or wholesome weekend types, don’t forget to set your alarm and take a look up at the sky about an hour before sunrise.

Five of the brighter planets, Mercury, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune and Saturn are set to line up near the eastern horizon — and will be visible with the naked eye from a good spot.

Both early risers and straddlers coming home across the UK will have a chance to get a glimpse of this rare celestial spectacle.

But skygazers have been warned that two of the planets Neptune and Uranaus, appear a little dimmer than the rest and may be a little more tricky to see. Binoculars are advised for those who don’t want to miss out.

It will occur in a 93-degree sector, meaning the planets will appear closer together in a small area of the sky. 

Saturn will actually rise in the dead of night on June 16th in the constellation of Aquarius, while Jupiter will be in the constellation of Aries, and Mercury will be in the constellation of Taurus. 

In order to differentiate between stars and planets, watchers should look for objects that don’t twinkle amid the flickering stars.

As Starwalk advised: “One of the differences is that the planets, unlike the stars, don’t twinkle,” adding: “It’s not as obvious as it seems!”

About what to expect and how to observe the display, Starwalk explains: “June 17th is the best day for observation. However, in some locations, the alignment may be visible several days before and after that date.

“The planets do form a line, but it’s not perfectly straight. All the planets orbit the Sun in almost the same plane.

“As a result, when viewing from Earth, the other planets appear to move along the ecliptic, the Sun’s yearly path across the sky.

“It may be easy to distinguish Jupiter because it will be the brightest celestial object in the morning sky until the Sun rises. The other planets, however, are much fainter.”

This alignment of planets is fairly uncommon, with the next event set to take place in April next year.

Don’t forget to set your alarm clocks, find a good spot and bring a pair of binoculars!