The northern hemisphere has its longest day of the year on Wednesday and the Summer Solstice is set to provide stargazers with a rare opportunity.
The Sun will be at its highest position over the UK and there is scope to see the Moon, Venus, and Mars.
Looking up at the right time (and in the right direction) on Wednesday, it should be possible to catch a glimpse of a crescent moon. This will form a line in the sky that will illuminate Mars and Venus.
Mars might be difficult to spot with the naked eye but can, even with just binoculars, be visible. But Venus and the Moon will be easily identifiable, the latter will appear in a thin shape with just 12 per cent of its surface visible.
The best chance to see the effect should be by looking west at around 10pm. Venus will appear as a bright speck of white but it will take some further examination to see Mars.
Space.com said: “About four degrees to its upper left, appearing to shine rather feebly, will be Mars. You’ll likely need binoculars to see it at all in the bright twilight even after Venus becomes obvious.”
If you miss it on Wednesday, there is a chance to look up on Thursday night as well, when the planets should still be in alignment.
Space experts have pointed out that this is not an official meeting of the two planets, however, and is instead considered a quasi-conjunction. This means they do not quite meet but come within five degrees of each other.
The Royal Museums Greenwich said: “Most people consider the summer solstice to be a day, it is in reality an exact moment in time that falls upon that day.
“This moment comes when whichever hemisphere you’re in is most tilted towards the Sun.”
There are plenty of ways to celebrate the occasion in London, from swimming to meditation. Find out more in our guide here.
