Catch a Rare ‘Planetary Parade’ Lighting Up The Night Sky

A rare cosmic show will be visible across skies in the Northern Hemisphere this weekend that won't be seen again until 2040!

According to AP News, six of the solar system’s planets will appear to line up in the evening sky this month. This “planetary parade” will offer skywatchers — from casual observers to astronomy buffs — a striking celestial spectacle.

When to See the Rare 'Planetary Parade'

On Saturday evening, Feb. 28, four planets — Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn — will be visible to the naked eye towards the West shortly after sunset if skies are clear. It is best seen with less light pollution, in more rural areas.

Two more planets, Uranus and Neptune, will also be part of the lineup, though they will require binoculars or a small telescope to spot because they are farther away and dimmer in appearance.

Despite the popular term “alignment,” astronomers note that the planets won’t be perfectly lined up in space — they simply appear along the same general plane from Earth’s perspective.

This event offers an engaging moment for skywatchers and families alike to look up, explore the night sky and connect with the solar system in a way that only rare planetary groupings can provide.

This isn’t the first time multiple planets have shared the sky. A similar planetary parade featuring six planets was visible in August 2025, and even an event with seven planets occurred in February 2025 — a rarity that won’t be seen again until decades from now.