View Seven Planets Align on February 28, 2025

On February 28, 2025, you’ll have a rare chance to view all seven planets align shortly after sunset. Head to a spot with minimal light pollution and a clear western horizon view. While Venus will shine brightest as your guide, you’ll need a telescope to spot Uranus and Neptune. The Virtual Telescope Project offers online viewing at 12:00 p.m. ET. Don’t wait until 2040 – there’s much more to discover about this remarkable celestial display.

A rare celestial event will grace our skies on February 28, 2025, when all seven planets in our solar system align in a spectacular parade. This remarkable alignment will be visible shortly after sunset, offering skygazers a unique opportunity to observe Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune simultaneously in the early evening hours. The Virtual Telescope Project will provide a live online viewing starting at 12:00 p.m. ET.

To witness this extraordinary event, you’ll need to find a viewing location away from city lights and tall structures. Choose a spot with a clear view of the western horizon, as some planets will set quickly after sunset. Remote areas offer the best visibility, but any location with minimal light pollution and unobstructed views will work. The steady temperature around 46 degrees Fahrenheit and mostly cloudy skies may affect viewing conditions. Clear skies are essential for ideal viewing conditions. Since these planets orbit at different speeds, their alignment creates a unique visual display from our perspective on Earth. The alignment occurs because all planets follow the same general path known as the ecliptic plane. Tokyo viewers got an early preview as the phenomenon began to appear on February 22.

Find a dark spot away from city lights with clear western views for the best chance to witness this celestial spectacle.

You’ll be able to spot five planets with your naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune will require a telescope. Look toward the west-southwest horizon just after sunset, using Venus as your guide – it’s the brightest planet and will serve as a reference point for locating the others. The planets will form a loose row across the sky along the ecliptic plane.

Each planet has distinct characteristics that will help you identify them. Mars appears reddish and will be positioned high in the sky near Gemini. Jupiter shines brightly lower in the sky near Taurus, while Venus commands attention near Pisces. Mercury will be visible above the western horizon near the setting sun, and Saturn will be positioned low on the horizon. For telescope viewers, you’ll find Uranus in the Aries constellation and Neptune in Pisces.

Don’t delay your viewing plans, as this alignment will only be visible for a few minutes after sunset. Saturn and Mercury will be the first to disappear below the horizon, while the other planets will remain visible longer into the evening. Binoculars might help you spot dimmer planets, but they’re not essential for viewing the five brightest ones.

If you miss this alignment, you’ll have to wait until 2040 for the next seven-planet parade. However, there are other celestial events to look forward to, including a four-planet alignment in August 2025 and a five-planet alignment in October 2028. Throughout the year, you can often spot individual planets, with Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn making frequent appearances in our night sky.

This rare planetary alignment offers an exceptional chance to observe all the planets in our solar system at once – a reminder of our place in this vast cosmic neighborhood.

Whether you’re an experienced stargazer or a casual observer, this event promises to be a memorable celebration of our solar system’s beauty and complexity.