Five planets aligned above Earth today for the first time in 18 years

dailystar.co.uk:

planets align, well five planets are doing exactly that so it's time to commit to those plans.The rare planet phenomenon, the first of its kind in 18 years, sees Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in alignment in the night sky.Astronomy experts said seeing three planets line-up, known as a conjunction, is normal but five is rarer, and will not be seen for several decades to come. READ MORE: International Space Station smells awful because astronauts fart more in space Sky and Telescope magazine said that what made the spectacle even more remarkable was that the planets had arranged in their natural order from the sun.

According to BBC Science Focus, the best time to see it was between 3.39am and sunrise at 4.43am this morning. However, if you missed out the 'planet parade', it will still be visible above the eastern horizon for the whole month, the best time being an hour before sunrise.The planets have been regular sights in the morning sky in 2022 but are beginning to break-up, with two of them no longer being morning objects for most observers by September, according to space authority Nasa. To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here . Astronomer Michelle Nichols told LiveScience : "This is early morning, so you do have to set the alarm in order to do it — but it's just a fun time to go see planets in the sky." Mercury has been the hardest to spot early in June 2022, with viewers needing an unobstructed eastern horizon and binoculars.Sky and Telescope added: "As the month wears on, Mercury climbs higher and brightens significantly, making it easier to see and thus completing the planetary line-up."Experts say the five planets may not align again like.