Six planets set to form rare parade at end of February

Space enthusiasts can look forward to a rare spectacle at the end of this month as six planets will appear closely aligned in the night sky, a phenomenon known as a planet parade or planetary alignment, according to Nasa.

On Saturday (28 February), observers will be able to see Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune positioned near one another across the sky, creating a rare planetary display, reports The Guardian.

Reason for planetary alignments

The planetary parade occurs because the planets orbit the sun in roughly the same flat plane, called the ecliptic plane.

Although each planet moves at a different speed and distance, there are times when several appear to align from Earth's perspective.

The alignment is only a visual effect, as in reality the planets remain separated by millions or even billions of kilometres.

Planetary parades in the past

On 27 February 2025, seven planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune – aligned in an unusual display that will not occur again until 2040.

At the time, 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 be visible to the naked eye?

According to Nasa, opportunities to view multiple planets can last from several weeks to more than a month, as planetary movements are slow and gradual.

Some observers may spot the alignment as early as this weekend.

However, 28 February stands out because the planets will be most tightly grouped, allowing several to be seen together in the evening sky.

Four planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter – will be visible without equipment.

Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars or a telescope, as they orbit in the cold, distant outer regions of the solar system.

Mercury may sometimes be difficult to see because of its low position near the horizon.

Where can the planetary parade be seen?

The alignment will be visible around the world. However, since 28 February is a median date, viewers in different regions may be able to observe the parade a few days before or after that date.

According to Star Walk, the best viewing dates will be 25 February in São Paulo, 28 February in Athens, New York, Mexico City and Tokyo, 1 March in Beijing, Berlin, London and Mumbai and 2 March in Reykjavik.

Optimal viewing time for the planetary parade

The optimal time to observe the alignment will be around 30 minutes after local sunset.

Star Walk advises viewers to look low in the western sky, preferably with a clear, unobstructed view and favourable weather.

Nasa explains that for a planet to be visible without optical aid, it should be at least a few degrees above the horizon, with 10 degrees or higher being preferable.

"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."