Keep an eye on the sky this week for a planetary encounter as Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Mars align near the Moon.
Where and when to see them?
The best day to observe it is Tuesday: you should look towards the western horizon just after sunset, explains Bill Cooke, NASA astronomer.
The planets will stretch from the horizon line to about halfway across the night sky, but don't be late: Mercury and Jupiter will set half an hour after sunset.
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The five planets can be seen from any point on Earth, as long as the sky is clear and the view is directed to the west.
“That is the beauty of these planetary alignments.
It doesn't take much" to admire them, Cooke said.
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Do you need binoculars?
Maybe.
Jupiter, Venus and Mars will be easy to see as they shine so brightly, Cooke explains.
Venus will be one of the brightest in the sky and Mars will be close to the Moon with a reddish glow.
Mercury and Uranus will be harder to spot
, and you'll probably need a pair of binoculars to find them.
If you're a
planet
collector , this is a unique opportunity to admire Uranus, which isn't normally visible, according to Cooke.
He should look for its green glow just above Venus.
Is it a common phenomenon?
From time to time different groups of planets line up in the sky.
Last summer there was one of five planets and there will be another in June, with a slightly different composition.
This phenomenon occurs when the orbits of the planets place them to one side of the Sun from Earth's perspective, Cooke says.