Are 7 planets having a rare alignment in our night sky? News of this unusual celestial event has been flooding social media in the last several days. But what will you really be able to see?

To see the parade, find a dark place with a clear view of the western horizon at nightfall. Mercury and Saturn will be low in the sky, brushing past each other in the fading glow of the evening sun, which will make the pair difficult to spot. Trace that line of sight higher to find Venus, the most brilliant planet in the sky.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will all be visible without any optical assistance, according to NASA. To catch Neptune and Uranus in the mix, you'll need the help of a telescope.

Stargazers are in for a rare treat this week when seven planets align in the night's sky in the "Great Planet Parade" Thursday. If you miss it, you won't get a chance to check out the phenomenon again for years to come,

In January, six planets appeared to line up in the night sky at once, commonly referred to as a planetary parade. The astronomical linkup is fairly common and can happen at least