Mark your calendars, everyone – with 7 planets aligning on February 28th, this “planetary parade” is an astronomical event you don’t want to miss. According to Star Walk, this rare event won’t happen again in this decade.
A planetary parade, though not an official term, applies when 4 or more planets are lined up in the sky. After sunset on February 28th, the alignment of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will be visible. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars will be easiest to see with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars. Saturn will be the most difficult to see, its visibility will depend on what time of evening it is and where you are located.
While the best time for visibility depends on your location, you should generally start looking after the sun sets below the horizon. According to Time and Date, the sun is predicted to set at 6:07 pm on February 28th. For the best view, open areas such as fields, parks, etc. are suggested.
Fortunately, many online applications make viewing this astronomical event easier. With the ability to use your phone to identify planets, it is much simpler to differentiate between the planets and the bright stars of the night sky. According to Star Walk, a good tip to know if you’re looking at a planet or a star is if it’s twinkling or not. While stars often twinkle, planets do not.
So once again, clear your schedule for this once in a decade, out of world experience!
Sources
Star Walk. (2025, February 13th). 7 Planets Align on February 28, 2025: How to See the "Great Planet Parade". starwalk.space. https://starwalk.space/en/news/what-is-planet-parade
Time and Date. (2025, February 15th). Sunrise and sunset times in Wilmington, February 2025. timeanddate. https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/wilmington-nc?month=2
Photo Source: Zelch Csaba: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sun-and-planets-12491759/
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