- Six planets will align in the evening sky on February 28, visible after sunset
- Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter will be part of the alignment
- Only four planets are visible to the naked eye; Uranus and Neptune need instruments
Skywatchers are in for a special treat this month as six planets will appear together in the evening sky. Instead of the usual two or three, people may get a chance to see a rare "planetary parade" shortly after sunset on February 28. According to NASA, Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter will appear aligned in the sky. The space agency says these planets can be seen just after sunset throughout February, but their alignment will be best toward the end of the month, reported Newsweek.
What Will Be visible?
If the weather is clear, only four of the six planets will be visible to the naked eye. Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars or a telescope. Even Mercury can sometimes be difficult to see.
NASA explains that to view a planet without instruments, it must be a few degrees above the horizon, with an altitude of 10 degrees or more considered optimal. According to the agency, this is because Earth's lower atmosphere blurs the light of celestial bodies during sunrise and sunset. Even brighter planets can be difficult or impossible to see when they are too low, as their light is scattered and absorbed before reaching the eye. Buildings, trees, and other obstructions near the horizon can also block the view.
NASA also states that this problem is more pronounced after sunset or before sunrise, when the sky is still dimly lit. If a planet appears too low in the sunset's glow, it becomes extremely difficult to see.
Best Viewing Way
According to Space.com, those wishing to see these planets in alignment should look westward about 30 minutes after sunset on February 28th. This will require clear skies, an open, unobstructed view to the west, and binoculars or a telescope for best viewing.
Four of the six planets will be very close to the sun and will be visible only for a short time in the bright evening light, or may not be visible at all. Venus and Mercury will be closest to the horizon, followed by Saturn and Neptune. Uranus and Jupiter will be very high in the sky. This can make it challenging to see more than three planets simultaneously.
How Rare Is This Event?
According to NASA, at least one bright planet can be seen on most nights, depending on the weather. Two or three planets are usually visible around sunset, and sometimes four or five bright planets can be seen together without any instruments. The agency says that a clear naked-eye alignment of four or five planets occurs every few years.
Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are often visible in the night sky. But when Venus and Mercury also join them, this alignment of four or five planets becomes special. Venus and Mercury orbit the Sun much closer than Earth and have shorter and faster orbits.
Venus can be seen for a few months when it is farthest from the Sun in the sky, and it is visible after sunset or before sunrise. Mercury, which completes its orbit around the Sun in just 88 days, can usually be seen for only two weeks, or sometimes for a few days, after sunset or before sunrise.
NASA says the next such event will occur in late October 2028, when the five planets will be visible together before sunrise. Then, in late February 2034, the five planets will again be visible after sunset, although even then, Venus and Mercury may be challenging to see.
