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By Jenna deJong
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A rare celestial event is set to grace the night sky on Friday, Feb. 28, as seven planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—align in what astronomers call a "planetary parade." While some of these planets will be easy to spot, others will require ideal conditions and optical aids. This marks one of the last such alignments until 2028, making it a must-see for skywatchers.
What is a "Planet Parade?"
Planetary alignments occur when multiple planets gather closely on one side of the Sun, appearing in a near-straight line from Earth's perspective. While some planetary groupings happen every few years, full alignments featuring as many as seven planets are rare.
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According to Space.com, "Most of the planets will be visible to the unaided eye, but you will need a good telescope to see the full show." This unique phenomenon results from the planets' orbits around the Sun aligning in such a way that they appear together in Earth's night sky.
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Why It Matters
This planetary alignment provides a rare chance for both casual observers and seasoned astronomers to witness an extraordinary event. Such occurrences allow scientists to study planetary positions, while enthusiasts get a unique opportunity to observe multiple celestial bodies at once. According to Space.com, seeing multiple planets at the same time isn't itself rare, but seeing all seven at once is—such a feat won't be seen again until 2040.
What Time Will the Planets Align Tonight?
The best time to view the planetary parade is just after sunset. However, Mercury and Saturn will be low on the horizon and could get lost in the sun's glare, making it difficult to see them without binoculars, according to CNN.
"Mercury and Saturn are particularly close to the sun and will be lost in the sun's glare, though Mercury will get higher and higher each day and easier to spot," said Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University, in an interview with CNN.
Venus and Jupiter will be the easiest to locate due to their brightness, while Mars will appear as a reddish-orange dot in the sky. Uranus and Neptune will be the most difficult to observe and will require a telescope or high-powered binoculars.
How to Get the Best View of the Planet Alignment Tonight
Astronomers recommend looking toward the southwestern sky about 30 minutes after sunset. "Toward the southwest is where Saturn and Mercury are going to be, and then toward the southeast is where Mars and Jupiter will be, and then Neptune, Venus, and Uranus will be in between," Emily Elizondo, a doctoral student in physics and astrophysics at Michigan State, told CNN.
Elizondo recommended using apps that use motion-sensing technology that can identify where a planet is in the sky. Other tools like binoculars and a telescope can help make the view clearer.
Marcy Curran, an editor at EarthSky, advised in a YouTube video that skywatchers should use Venus as a guide. "Let bright Venus be your guide, it's going to show up first because it's higher in the sky, it's obviously brighter," Curran said. "So once you find Venus, below it towards the horizon look for a skinny little moon and Mercury."
"Uranus and Neptune, of course, are there, but you need optical aid to see them, and you'll probably not catch Jupiter and Mars, which are higher in the sky, until at least darkness starts to fall."
If poor weather obscures the view, the Virtual Telescope Project will provide a live stream of the event from telescopes in Tuscany, Italy. Space.com reports that the webcast will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET and will feature expert commentary from astronomers.
To maximize the experience, astronomers recommend finding a dark location away from city lights and dressing warmly. The less light pollution an area has, the better.
What People Are Saying
Dr. Edward Bloomer, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told the BBC: "You really only have a few minutes after sunset to catch them before they drop below the horizon," said Dr Edward Bloomer, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, to the BBC. "After that, you'll still be able to see Venus, Jupiter, and Mars clearly for a much longer time."
Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University, said in a statement: "All of our planets go around the sun in a flat disk. From our perspective on Earth, that disk looks like a curved line across the sky stretching from east to the west. As a result, all our planets will always be seen along this line. When we have multiple planets visible, that line can look quite spectacular."
What's Next
NASA predicts that future alignments will vary in visibility and that the next easily viewable major planetary alignment will take place in 2040.
For skywatchers, tonight's event offers a rare opportunity to witness a cosmic spectacle that won't be visible again for years.
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