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Stargazers will be treated to a dazzling six- and seven-planet “alignments” in February.
A planetary alignment, or a “planet parade” according to the internet, will grace our night sky just after dusk, according to SkyatNightMagazine. We’ll see six planets in the first part of February – Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus and Saturn – and on Feb. 28, they’ll be joined by Mercury.
But not all of them will be visible to the naked eye. You’ll need high-powered binoculars or a telescope to see Neptune and Uranus. Saturn may be difficult to see since it will be near the sun, according to StarWalk.
It’s not especially remarkable for a few planets to line up in the sky, but the sight of four or five brilliant planets at once is less common, according to NASA.
How does the alignment happen?
The planets orbit the sun continuously in the solar system, so at times, they slowly catch up to one another. Because they travel along the same path, or ecliptic, as they pass Earth, it appears they are aligned, according to NASA. The alignment formation, however, will be short-lived because each planet moves at different speeds.
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Where to look for the planetary alignment
When looking in the southern sky about 90 minutes after sunset, the planetary alignment will be visible almost everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, weather permitting. The six planetary alignment should continue from Saturday until Feb. 9, according to Popular Science.
Seven-planet alignment on Feb. 28
On Feb. 28, seven planets – Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars – will align, creating a beautiful celestial event, according to StarWalk. The hardest planet to see will be Saturn because it moves so close to the sun and you will need to know the exact time for your position.
Profiles of the visible planets
With eight planets in our solar system, which includes Earth, they all have some very interesting traits. Here’s a quick look at the planets aligning this month:
More:Why the Great Red Spot on Jupiter ‘jiggles’ in recent NASA study
When will the planets align again?
◾ Feb. 28: Seven planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. (The last time all seven planets aligned was on April 8, 2024, during the total solar eclipse).
◾ Aug. 29, 2025: Six planets – Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
This story was updated to add new information.
