Space enthusiasts are in for a treat at the end of this month as six planets will appear close together in the night sky.
The phenomenon, known as a planet parade or planetary alignment, occurs when at least four or five planets can be seen altogether, according to Nasa. On 28 February, stargazers will have the chance to spot Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune aligned closely across the sky – making this a rare planetary display.
Why do planetary parades occur?
They happen because the planets orbit the sun in roughly the same flat plane, known as the ecliptic plane. Although each planet travels at a different speed and distance, there are times when several of them appear to line up from Earth’s perspective.
The alignment is purely a visual effect since in reality, the planets remain anywhere from millions to billions of kilometres apart.
Has this happened before?
Yes. On 27 February 2025, seven planets including Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune lined up in a rare display that will not be seen again until 2040.
At the time of the alignment, Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told PA Media: “Groups of three, four or even five planets being visible aren’t uncommon, regularly appearing throughout each year … But the more planets are involved, the more things need to be aligned to be visible at once. This makes full seven-planet parades fairly rare.”
Which planets will I be able to see with a naked eye?
According to Nasa, multi-planet viewing opportunities can last from weeks to more than a month, as planetary movements are slow and gradual. Some people can view the alignment as early as this weekend, but what makes 28 February particularly notable is that the planets will be most tightly grouped and multiple planets can be seen together in the evening sky.
Four planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter – will be visible to the naked eye. Uranus and Neptune, however, will require binoculars or a telescope as they orbit in the cold, distant outer regions of the solar system. Mercury may be occasionally difficult to spot due to its low position near the horizon.
When will be the best time to see the planetary parade?
The optimal time to view the alignment will be about 30 minutes after local sunset, with Star Walk recommending viewers to look low in the western sky, ideally with an unobstructed view and clear weather conditions.
Nasa explains that for a planet to be visible without any optical aid, it should be at least a few degrees above the horizon, with 10 degrees or higher being best.
“This is crucial because Earth’s atmosphere near the ground dims celestial objects as they rise or set,” Nasa says, adding: “Even bright planets become difficult or impossible to spot when they’re too low, as their light gets scattered and absorbed on its path to your eye.”
Where can I view the planetary parade?
The alignment will be visible to people all around the world, but because 28 February is a median date, viewers in different parts of the world may be able to see the parade a few days before or after that date.
According to Star Walk, the best view will be 25 February for São Paulo, 28 February for Athens, New York, Mexico City and Tokyo, 1 March for Beijing, Berlin, London and Mumbai and 2 March from Reykjavik.
