A rare parade of planets may be visible in the sky this week.

Skygazers around the world are hoping that clear skies and good weather conditions will enable them to catch sight of Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and Mars.

The five, are expected to line up in an arc shape, alongside the Moon between now and March 30.

The best chance of catching all five together expected to be after dark on Tuesday this week.

While not a true astronomical 'alignment' - when planets come together simultaneously on the same side of the sun - it is an unusual occurrence for all five planets to be visible at the same time.

Venus and Jupiter are expected to be the two brightest of the planets and the most easy to pick out. The pair, which avid astronomers have already seen close together in the past few weeks, may be easily seen with the naked eye.

The same could apply to Mars - albeit fainter - with Mercury and Uranus potentially proving the hardest to see where a binoculars or telescope may come in handy.

How to see

Those hoping to catch a glimpse of all five planets should head out after dark and have their fingers crossed for clear skies.

A pair of binoculars - or a telescope - may also help you see the fainter planets too.

A clear and unobstructed view of the western horizon is required - and as with any skygazing - an area away from light pollution will also help give you a better view.

To easily identify the planets throughout the end of this month for those that are struggling to understand what they're looking at, some astronomers recommend using an app - such as Sky Tonight - that can be pointed at the night sky in order to give you a live display and commentary of what is going on.