For a short window, all seven other planets in the Earth’s solar system will be visible at the same time, though a telescope will be needed to observe them all.
Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn will be present among the stars between sunset and 6.30pm on February 28, before Saturn dips below the horizon.
Jessica Lee, astronomer education officer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory in London, said: “The Earth and all the planets all orbit the Sun on the same plane, so they’re all sort of in alignment as they go around the Sun.”
“They all go around the Sun at different speeds, so their orbits take different amounts of time, which means from our perspective on Earth, they appear to move across the sky. Because they’re on these fixed orbits, occasionally they do all end up in the sky at the same time.”
Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will be the easiest planets to spot, even from light-polluted areas in the capital.
She added: “They can be spotted with just your eyes, even from a place like London. Venus, the evening star, is really bright, while Mars is high in the southern sky, between the constellations of Orion and Gemini, and Jupiter is also high in the south.
“Uranus is really close to Jupiter but is so faint that most people would need a telescope.
“Saturn is just above the horizon as the Sun is setting, so you might be able to see it if you have a clear view of the western horizon.
“You’ll have to have a telescope to see Neptune, but Mercury is just visible where the Sun is setting for a short period of time.”
Skygazing events will be held across the UK, with free open evenings at the Mills Observatory in Dundee and guided gazing sessions in the Brecon Beacons.
However, those in London will still have a chance to see some of the brightest planets even without special equipment.
The Met Office predicts England and Wales will have the clearest skies on Friday night.
A spokesperson said: “On Friday, large chunks of England and Wales and probably eastern parts of Scotland will have some decent clear spells overnight, while Northern Ireland and Scotland will probably see more clouds as a front approaches from the northwest on Friday night.”
Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will be the easiest planets to spot, even from light-polluted areas in the capital.
