Six planets will line up in the night sky at the end of February, with four visible to the naked eye if skies are clear. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn can be spotted from the ground, while Uranus and Neptune require binoculars or telescopes, according to NASA.
These rare planetary alignments occur every few years and offer a chance to connect with astronomical observation that has been central to human understanding for millennia. Emily Elizondo, a planetary scientist at Michigan State University, noted that ancient astronomers “made sense of the universe just by looking up at the stars and the planets.”
When and Where to Look
Skygazers should head outside about one hour after sunset on Saturday and in the days that follow, moving away from tall buildings and trees that could block the view. Look to the western sky, where Mercury, Venus and Saturn will sit close to the horizon. Jupiter will be higher in the sky, along with Uranus and Neptune.
How to Tell Them Apart
To tell planets from stars, remember this tip from Sara Mazrouei, a planetary scientist at Humber Polytechnic in Canada: “If it’s twinkling, it’s a star. If it is not twinkling, it’s a planet.”
How Long It Will Last
The planetary parade should remain visible over the weekend and in the days that follow, though Mercury will eventually dip below the horizon and exit the lineup. While at least one bright planet is visible on most nights, seeing multiple planets together is less common.
A Rare Alignment
Lineups of two or three planets after sunset happen regularly. Hangouts of four or five visible to the naked eye occur every few years. Last year featured consecutive lineups of six planets and all seven planets, making 2025 an exceptionally active year for planetary visibility.