'Planetary parade': Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury and Saturn all visible in the night sky on Friday - last time until 2040

There is only a short window for the “planetary parade” on Friday though, between sunset and 6.30pm, which is when Saturn sets. It will be the last time seven planets can be seen simultaneously so well until 2040.

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury and Saturn will be visible among the stars, although a telescope will be needed to see all of them.

Jessica Lee, astronomer education officer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory in London, said: “The Earth and all the planets all orbit the Sun on the same plane, so they’re all sort of in alignment as they go around the Sun.”

“They all go around the Sun at different speeds, so their orbits take different amounts of time, which means from our perspective on Earth, they appear to move across the sky. Because they’re on these fixed orbits, occasionally they do all end up in the sky at the same time.”

Skygazing events will be held across the country, including free open evenings at the Mills Observatory in Dundee and astronomer-guided gazing in the Brecon Beacons offering enthusiasts a chance to watch the planetary parade alongside experts.

England and Wales will have the clearest skies in the country on Friday night, according to the Met Office.

A spokesperson said: “On Friday, large chunks of England and Wales and probably eastern parts of Scotland will have some decent clear spells overnight, while Northern Ireland and Scotland will probably see more clouds as a front approaches from the north west on Friday night”.

Venus, Mars and Jupiter will be the easiest planets for skygazers to see.

“They can be spotted with just your eyes, even from a place like London. Venus, the evening star, is really bright, while Mars is high in the southern sky, between the constellations of Orion and Gemini and Jupiter is also high in the south”, Ms Lee said.

“Uranus is really close to Jupiter but is so faint that most people would need a telescope. Saturn is just above the horizon as the Sun is setting, so you might be able to see it if you have a clear view of the western horizon. You’ll have to have a telescope to see Neptune but Mercury is just visible where the Sun is setting for a short period of time.”