Six planets will appear aligned in the night sky throughout February, offering a rare spectacle visible to stargazers worldwide. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will be visible, with the most prominent display expected around February 28th.
While not a perfect line, the planets will appear clustered together on one side of the sun from Earth’s perspective. According to NASA, viewers with clear skies can typically spot two or three planets after sunset. Alignments of four or five planets visible to the naked eye are less frequent, occurring every few years. Last year saw even more extensive alignments, with six and all seven planets visible at different times.
On Saturday, February 22nd, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will be readily visible to the naked eye. Uranus and Neptune, however, will require binoculars or a telescope for observation. The best viewing time is approximately an hour after sunset, away from obstructions like tall buildings and trees, looking towards the western sky.
Distinguishing between planets and stars is relatively simple, according to Sara Mazrouei, a planetary scientist with Humber Polytechnic in Canada. “If it’s twinkling, it’s a star. If This proves not twinkling, it’s a planet,” she said.
The planetary parade is expected to be visible over the weekend and in the days following, though Mercury will eventually dip below the horizon. NASA notes that at least one bright planet is visible on most nights. The 2025 alignment of seven planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—will not be repeated until 2040.
Emily Elizondo, a planetary scientist with Michigan State University, emphasized the connection this event provides to historical astronomy. “Ancient astronomers used to make sense of the universe just by looking up at the stars and the planets,” Elizondo said, “which is something that People can do today.”
