How to see January's spectacular 'planet parade' from Europe

Six planets are gracing the sky this month in what's known as a planetary parade, and most can be seen with the naked eye.

These planetary alignments happen when several planets appear to line up in the night sky at once.

"They’re not in a straight line, but they’re pretty close together on one side of the Sun," said Hannah Sparkes, planetarium supervisor at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Florida.

What is a planet parade?

The astronomical linkup is fairly common and can happen at least every year depending on the number of planets.

A similar parade took place in June last year, but only two planets could be seen without any specialist equipment.

So, why are the planets aligning?

There is an imaginable line that the Sun traces across the sky known as the "ecliptic". This has the basis in the formation of the solar system, with all the planets being formed out of the same flat plane of dust and gas.

The planets therefore follow the same imaginary line, including the Earth, which means when they appear in the sky, they roughly follow this path of the "ecliptic".

What can you see?

Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are visible to the naked eye this month and for part of February. Uranus and Neptune can be spotted with binoculars and telescopes.

During this latest spectacle, Mars shines especially bright because it's located directly opposite the Sun.

Skygazers have also had the chance to see Venus and Saturn snuggle up extra close, just two degrees apart.

A faint Mercury is set to join the parade as a bonus seventh planet at the end of February, and the planets will slowly make their exit through the spring.

What day is the best to see the alignment?

Any clear, cloudless night this month is ideal to spot the planets. To get in on the sighting, go outside on a clear night a few hours after sunset and face south, said Kevin Williams, planetarium director at Buffalo State University.

Venus and Saturn will glow in the southwestern sky, with Jupiter in the southern sky and Mars in the southeast or east. The planets will shine brighter than the stars, and Mars will look like a reddish-orange dot.

"It gives us a little bit better sense of our place in the solar system and the universe," Williams said.

January 21 has been slated as the best night to see the alignment but any night this month, if the weather allows and the skies are clear, gives an good chance to see the parade.

After January 21, the Moon begins to wane and lose its brilliance, and in February, while the planets are still visible, increasingly hours of daylight may make it slightly harder to see the parade at its best.

What do I need to see the planet parade?

You might want to consider downloading stargazing apps to help with where to look, Sparkes said. These can help you locate and identify which planets you're see in the night sky, as well as other objects like satellites and constellations.

Some planets will require the use of telescopes or binoculars to see as they are more obscure than the others, particularly Neptune.