Many of us learn the names and order of all the planets in our Solar System from a very young age, though it’s uncommon to witness them all at once (or perhaps ever) in the night sky. Most of the time we only get to see one or two at a time—such as Venus, regularly the brightest planet in the sky. However, a rare upcoming event will soon allow us to see seven planets in the sky at the same time for one night only.
On February 28, 2025, Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars will all come together in a planetary event for the ages. We’ll get to see all planets at the same time thanks to them being on the same side of the Sun simultaneously, something that doesn’t occur often, particularly for these many planets at once.
While these events are known as alignments, it has more to do with all planets being together in the night sky rather than them literally aligning. After all, planets always appear on a line in the sky. This is known as the ecliptic, the plane in which all planets orbit around the Sun. The ecliptic also explains why planets seem to be so close to each other in the night sky despite being millions of miles away from one another. They also never form a neat straight line either, as some of their orbits are tilted a little above or below this plane.
That’s not the only exciting planetary alignment coming up though. Before that, on January 21, all planets except Mercury will be shining at the same time. Mars, Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter will be visible to the naked eye, but you’ll need powerful binoculars or a telescope to see Neptune and Uranus. Also, make sure to find yourself in a location free from tall buildings or high mountains, as they may cover the planets that are the lowest in the sky, such as Venus and Saturn, depending on your vantage point.
Even if you were to look up during a random night in January, you’d still encounter a very exciting sight—four planets shining brightly in the sky at the same time. NASA has said that while multi-planet viewing opportunities (like the four planets being viewable at the same time) aren’t super rare, they don’t happen every year, so it’s worth checking them out. That’s why, even if you miss out on the larger alignments, you’ll still have other opportunities see something amazing.
To stay up to date with more amazing astronomical events, make sure to visit NASA’s website.
Soon, all seven planets will appear in the sky at the same time for one night only.
On February 28, 2025, Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars will all be visible simultaneously.
We’ll get to see all planets in our Solar System at the same time thanks to them being on the same side of the Sun—something that doesn’t occur often, particularly for these many planets.
Sources: Planetary Alignment: What Is It? When Is the Next Planetary Alignment?; A Rare Alignment of 7 Planets Is About to Take Place in The Sky; What’s Up: January 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA
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