Some people say that good things only happen ‘when the stars align’.
Until that happens, the best the universe can offer is aligning planets, we’re afraid – but it’s still pretty exciting.
For a few brief evenings around February 28, 2025, every planet in our solar system will be visible at once.
You will be able to see seven planets in the sky, and the eighth if you look down (that will be Earth, under your feet).
Sorry to Pluto, but it got booted out of the planets club in 2006, so we’ll count this as a full house even though it won’t be appearing.
It is the culmination of an impressive display throughout January and February, when six planets have been lining up in the night sky. There won’t be an opportunity as good as this to see all the planets together until 2040.
Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars will be visible with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune can be spotted too if you have a telescope.
When is the best time to see the planetary alignment 2025? How to see it
Just after sunset on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week (starting today, February 25).
You’ll have to be quick, because Saturn and Mercury will very soon drop below the horizon, so it’s best to be ready and waiting to enjoy the sunset too.
Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will hang around a little longer.
The fab five visible with the naked eye could become the fab six if the skies are crystal clear – there’s a chance Uranus will appear as a faint speck when you crane your neck up, if you have really good eyesight.
To spot them, look out for Mars with its reddish colour, and Venus and Jupiter looking especially bright.
Don’t wait for it to get completely dark, however, because then some may dip back below the horizon.
What happens during planetary alignment?
Despite the name, a planetary alignment isn’t when the planets get in a row, it’s when a fair few gather on one side of the Sun. A planetary parade, meanwhile, describes them all being visible in the sky.
Uranus will be in the same patch of sky as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter but likely won’t be bright enough to be visible without observational equipment. The same goes for Neptune.
If you have a telescope or high-powered binoculars, Uranus will be roughly west of Jupiter, while Neptune is to the upper left of Saturn and Venus.
Dr Shyam Balaji, researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s College London, said: ‘On February 28 a seven-planet alignment will occur. Planetary alignments, where multiple planets appear close together in the sky, occur periodically but are relatively rare.
‘Alignments of six or more planets happen approximately every few decades, depending on the specific orbital positions of the planets.
‘Planetary alignments occur because the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun within roughly the same plane, known as the ecliptic plane. As they orbit at different speeds and distances from the Sun, there are moments when they appear to line up from Earth’s perspective. This alignment is a visual phenomenon rather than a physical one, as the planets remain separated by millions or even billions of kilometres in space.
‘There is no significant effect on Earth from planetary alignments regarding tides or weather. The gravitational influence of the planets on Earth is negligible compared to that of the Moon and the Sun. While some speculative theories suggest minor influences on solar activity, these are not supported by robust scientific evidence.’
As to whether we should call it a ‘planet parade’? Nasa says this isn’t a technical term in astronomy, so ‘call it what you wish!’
How to view the planets aligning
For anyone hoping to see this celestial spectacle, head outside for about half an hour to let your eyes adjust to the darkness too.
If possible, get as far away from street lights and other artificial lights as possible. You can use light pollution maps like this one to find the best viewing spots.
Experts also recommend people use finder-charts – maps of the stars – or stargazing apps to help discern the planets from stars twinkling in the sky.
A good hack to differentiate them from one expert is to close one eye, reach out your arm and pass your thumb over a bright dot in the sky.
If the speck dims when your thumb passes it, it’s a planet. If it immediately blinks out as if you switched the light off, it’s a star.
A version of this article was previously published on January 26, 2025.
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