PLANETARY PARADE TO TAKE OVER NIGHT SKY TONIGHT WITH VENUS REACHING HIGHEST ALTITUDE AT SUNSET

New Delhi, January 26 - A rare celestial spectacle is set to captivate the attention of sky gazers across the globe tonight as four naked-eye planets - Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn - align in a spectacular display known as the Planetary Parade.

According to astronomers, Mars will be visible to the naked eye from the eastern horizon at around 16:30 hours IST, followed by Jupiter at 13:42 hours IST. The evening's crowning jewel will be Venus, which is expected to reach its highest altitude in the sky at sunset around 6 pm. Saturn will then make its appearance in the western sky, while Uranus and Neptune can only be observed through telescopes due to their fainter light.

The alignment of these planets is a rare occurrence, with all four visible to the naked eye at once. The phenomenon occurs when the planets orbit the Sun on roughly the same plane, resulting in a straight-line alignment for observers on Earth.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for people to witness this celestial event," said Aditya Madanapalle, a science and technology reporter with years of experience covering space-related topics. "But it requires precise timing and observation, making it unique to those who take the time to look up at the night sky."

However, it's worth noting that visibility of Saturn increases with darkness, while Venus will begin to set about three hours before actual sunset. The planet parade is expected to remain in view for around three hours after sunset.

Astronomers warn that local lighting conditions and weather may impact the visibility of the planets, making this a rare moment for many sky gazers to witness this spectacular alignment.

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