Rare planetary alignment visible in Uzbekistan

Residents of Uzbekistan may witness a rare astronomical event on February 28 — a planetary parade involving six planets, the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan reported on February 25.

According to the statement, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will align in one section of the sky at the same time. The planets will appear in the southwestern horizon after sunset and can be observed from all regions of the country.

Four of the six planets — Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn — will be visible to the naked eye. Uranus and Neptune, due to their faint appearance, can be observed using a telescope or binoculars.

Experts explain that a planetary parade occurs when two or more planets appear positioned close to a single line in the sky. An alignment involving up to four planets is considered a small parade and occurs almost every year. An event involving five or more planets is classified as a large parade and typically takes place once every 18–20 years. An alignment of all eight planets is a much rarer phenomenon, occurring approximately once every 170 years.

Earlier, an article published in Science Advances suggested that Earth-like planets may be more common in the universe than previously thought.