Planets in our solar system are all set for a surprise for astrophiles and sky gazers this year. You’ll likely have heard news that a ‘planetary alignment’ is visible in January 2025 and into February, but are wondering what planets are actually visible, and how special this ‘alignment’ is.January and February 2025 are good months for observing the planets (except for Mercury), as Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are all visible in the night sky, the BBC reports.A planetary parade is a rare event that occurs when multiple planets appear to be positioned in a line. While the planets appear as such from Earth’s perspective, it does not signify an actual alignment in space.NASA stated that such incidents, involving four or more planets do not occur annually. According to NASA, stargazers can see Mars on January 15, while Venus and Saturn will come within about 2 degrees on January 17 and 18. One can start seeing the alignment of planets from January 17.Best time to watch the planetary parade?Around 8,30 pm, just after a lovely sunset will be the best time to catch the planetary parade. Venus, Saturn and Neptune will be under the horizon by 11.30 pm to midnight, while Mars, Jupiter and Uranus will be hanging out for a while, making it visible in the skies.Mercury, however, will be making only a brief appearance, joining the rest for a couple of days, making the parade complete. It would be difficult to see all the planets in one go as Saturn, Mercury, and Neptune will be quite close to the sun at sunset.By March, Mercury, Saturn and Neptune will drift too close to sun, making it difficult to be visible. Venus will also be eventually taking the same route, leaving behind Jupiter, Mars and Uranus in the night skies until the next parade.As reported by Deccan Herald, the planetary parade can be viewed from your rooftop as long as the sky is clear of clouds and pollution. Nandi Hills, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu are good spots to view planetary parade in Karnataka.
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