Sky enthusiasts have a special event to look forward to at the end of February: a lineup of seven planets that will be visible in the night sky. This includes Mercury, Uranus, and Neptune, along with more familiar, bright planets like Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn. However, seeing all seven planets at once might be a bit tricky, according to astronomers.
After the sun sets, all seven planets will be visible just above the horizon, though Mercury and Saturn could be particularly hard to see during Thursday and Friday evenings. Because they sit close to the sun, their visibility is limited due to the sun’s bright glare. Shannon Schmoll, the director of the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University, explains that while Mercury will gradually become easier to spot as it rises higher in the sky, it will still require a clear view of the western horizon and possibly binoculars for a closer look.
When it comes to spotting other planets in this celestial parade, Venus and Jupiter are likely to catch your eye due to their brightness, while Mars stands out with its distinctive reddish-orange color. However, both Uranus and Neptune usually can’t be seen without the aid of a telescope or binoculars, Schmoll points out.
The reason for the impressive display of planets this February has to do with their specific positions in relation to the sun. Saturn and Mercury will appear low along the horizon and can only be seen during twilight, which is when the sky is still somewhat lit after sunset. EarthSky editor Marcy Curran mentions that, although Uranus and Neptune are present, they may not be visible until it gets darker, while Jupiter and Mars will be higher in the sky.
Curran suggests checking for Mercury and Saturn around thirty minutes after sunset, looking low on the western horizon, and using binoculars to make them easier to find. The planets will mostly be located in the southern part of the sky. Saturn and Mercury will be toward the southwest, while Mars and Jupiter will be in the southeast, with Uranus and Neptune appearing in between. There are also mobile apps available that utilize motion-sensing technology, helping you locate the planets in the sky.
For easy identification, look for Venus, which will be the brightest and highest in the sky. It’s worth noting that while stars twinkle, Venus will shine steadily. As the twilight ends at 6:58 p.m. ET on Friday, the crescent moon—often referred to as the Cheshire Moon—will make an appearance. This nickname comes from its resemblance to the grin of the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” According to NASA, it’s also known as the “wet moon” in Hawaiian tradition because it looks like a bowl that could hold liquid.
Following the crescent moon, Venus and Mercury will form a line together in the sky through Sunday evening. Curran notes that once you see Venus, look towards the horizon for the thin crescent moon and then keep an eye out for Mercury.
Goss predicts that Jupiter will remain an eye-catching sight high in the southern sky for the next couple of months, while Mars will also be visible for another three to four months. If weather conditions obstruct your view, you can catch a live stream of the planetary alignment from the Virtual Telescope Project, which will offer footage from its robotic telescopes in Italy.
The reason all these planets appear clustered in the night sky at this time is due to their orbits around the sun. According to Schmoll, all the planets move around the sun in a flat disk, meaning that when viewed from Earth, we see them along a curved line stretching across the sky. Typically, the planets are spaced apart along their respective paths, but in February, they are all on the same side of the sun from our viewpoint. This unique alignment allows us to see many of them simultaneously, creating a spectacular night sky.