How Brits will be able to see extraordinary ‘planetary parade’ tonight

Brits could be in with a chance of seeing an extraordinary ‘planetary parade’ tonight (3 June).

While some people still aren’t over the rare spectacle of the Northern Lights glowing across the skies of the UK (or aren’t over missing it), there’s set to be another amazing sight up above in space.

Six planets are aligning overnight and will be visible if you’re lucky enough.

Nicknamed the ‘planetary parade’, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will all form a straight, diagonal arrangement across the sky.

Saturn will appear up top, followed by Neptune, then Mars, Uranus and Mercury before Jupiter pretty close to the horizon.

But some of them will be easier to spot in the sky than others. Plus, you might have to set an alarm to get up in time if you’re hoping to see the alignment.

You could see the planets tonight (3 June). (Getty Stock Image)

Astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich Gregory Brown said to Sky News: “Try looking east-southeast around an hour before sunrise at a location with a very low horizon.”

He explained that ‘Mars and Saturn will be visible by eye’. So, keep an eye out for that distinct, orange tint glowing up above. Saturn will be more of a yellowish-white object.

“Neptune will only be visible through a pair of binoculars or a telescope if you are lucky,” Brown added.

And the other planets will be a little trickier to spot as they are much closer to the sun. That all depends on good weather and clear skies though, of course.

It's a rare event. (Elmurod Usubaliev/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Although, NASA-JPL science communicator Ian O’Neill explained: “Even under ideal conditions, a dark sky, free from light pollution, Uranus is very dim and challenging to spot.

“The skyglow near dawn makes matters worse. Neptune is more than six times dimmer than Uranus, so [it] always requires a telescope to see.”

The best time to see this amazing planetary parade in the UK will be about an hour before sunrise which is set to happen between 4:30am and 5am.

While you might look up into the sky thinking you know exactly what you’re looking at, only to find it’s just a bunch of stars, it might be worth downloading a stargazing app to help figure out where the planets actually are in the sky.

And another science communicator, Preston Dyches, says that this isn’t much of a ‘planet parade’ with better things to come.

“The real planetary spectacle I would recommend checking out is on June 29, when you'll be able to see Saturn, the third-quarter moon, Mars, and Jupiter,” he said.