Stargazers in Birmingham could be given a rare chance to spot a neighbouring planet tonight.

Mercury will be making a close approach to Earth on the evening of Wednesday, July 22.

The planet - the closest to the sun in our solar system, and the smallest planet too - is only a little bigger than our moon.

It will reach its closest point to our planet on the evening of July 22, giving astronomy aficionados the chance to dust off their telescopes and catch a glimpse.

Mercury will be visible in the sky just after sunset, and through the rest of the night.

Stargazing fans are urged to aim to look towards the northeastern horizon, and if you don't spot it tonight, do not fear.

Mercury's visibility will continue to improve until it reaches its peak on Saturday, July 25 - here it will appear in the constellation Gemini in the northern hemisphere.

Impressively, the planet can be seen with the naked eye, but in order to minimise any interfering light pollution, people are urged to view it from high ground.

Try to avoid any light coming from screens or outdoor lights and allow your eyes to get accustomed to the darkness for around 30 minutes before you look up.

And, of course, there is also the chance to spot Comet Neowise this evening, if you fancy catching a rare glimpse of that.

The Comet will disappear from view later this month, and will not re-appear for some 6,000 years, so it really is a chance of a lifetime.