Because planets always appear in a line, the alignment isn't anything out of the norm. What's less common is seeing so many bright planets at once.

A handful of planets in the solar system are expected to line up in the night sky for a few days in January 2025. Here's when to look up at the stars.

On Friday 17 January and Saturday 18 January, six planets will line up in the night sky, in an event that some astronomers refer to as a planetary parade. Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Venus will appear together in a row, although Neptune and Uranus will only be visible with binoculars or a telescope.