When we have five or more planets filing into a small sky area, an alignment is upgraded to parade status. Parade is not an official astronomical term and is used fast, loose and with a touch more whimsy than space experts usually allow for.

If you bring a telescope and get away from city lights Friday evening, there’s a chance you’ll see seven planets parading through the sky. Most of the planetary alignment, which is colloquially referred to as a planet parade,