Six planets to appear in rare celestial parade on Aug 12

Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will appear in the same direction before sunrise, with the Perseid meteor shower also reaching its peak.

Six planets – Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune – will appear in the same direction in the sky on August 12, offering a rare celestial spectacle.

According to astronomers, the planetary parade will be visible before sunrise. The planets will appear in an arc stretching from the eastern horizon towards the south-western sky.

The planets will not actually be in a straight line in space. Their appearance in the same direction when viewed from Earth is known as a ‘planetary parade’.

Mars and Saturn should be relatively easy to see with the naked eye, while Mercury and Jupiter will be harder to observe as they will be close to the horizon.

A telescope or binoculars will be needed to see Uranus and Neptune. A clear and open eastern horizon should provide better views of the celestial display.

Skywatchers will have another important event to look forward to on the night of August 12, as the Perseid meteor shower will also reach its peak.

According to astronomers, the new Moon will leave the sky relatively dark, providing better conditions for viewing meteors.

Several important celestial events, including the planetary parade, will therefore be visible in the sky on August 12.