Scientists say Mercury will be making a very special appearance

Feb 13, 2013 08:44 GMT  ·  By

NASA scientists have recently gone public with the news that, by the end of this month, sky-gazing enthusiasts will be able to catch a glimpse of a pink planet set to adorn the horizon starting February 8 and until February 21.

Fear not, the appearance of this pink planet does not mean that aliens are out to get us. Thus, this weird-looking planet is actually Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun.

Apparently, Mercury is set to turn pink within said time frame thanks to the sunlight's hitting it in such a way that an optical illusion will be created, sources say.

Those wishing to check out this pink planet need out look at the skies at about 30 minutes after sunset. Should the skies be clear, Mercury will be visible near the horizon.