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Sky watchers, mark your calendars because one of the most spectacular celestial events is coming again at the end of February. Six planets will be visible in the night sky at the same time for two weeks. This phenomenon is known as the planet parade, and it only happens a few times a year.
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This special planetary display will include Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. It’s just one planet shy of the entire group, which is a very rare phenomenon The last one occurred in February 2025. You’ll also need a telescope to see everything, especially since most of it will happen right at dusk, which will make seeing some planets more difficult.
When will the planet parade happen?
The Northern Hemisphere will get its best glimpse of the planet’s view right at sunset during the last week of February. This will be a particular challenge for sky watchers because detecting planets where the Sun is even partially high is more difficult due to light pollution. Your best bet is around 6:45pm local time, and your window will be very short. Mercury and Venus dip below the horizon after about 30 to 45 minutes, so that’s all the time you have.
The good news is that Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Neptune are clustered together on the western horizon near sunset. Venus and Mercury will be next to each other, while Saturn and Neptune will be clustered together nearby. This should make spotting all four of them a little easier, which is useful for skygazers given the short window.
Jupiter and Uranus will be the easiest to spot and will remain in the sky long after the other four planets have retreated below the horizon. Uranus will travel across the southern sky alongside the constellation Taurus before dipping below the western horizon a few hours after midnight. Jupiter will follow a very similar path to Uranus, but it hangs out with the constellation Gemini.
Finally, the best dates to watch the planet display in the United States, Canada, and Mexico are February 21-28. Before February 21, Venus and Mercury will be very close to the Sun. Once March begins, Mercury will approach the Sun again, dipping below the horizon before becoming easily visible. Once this happens, the five planets will continue to display for about another week or so before Neptune and Saturn dip below the horizon, thus ending the display and leaving only Venus, Jupiter and Uranus visible in the sky.
Will the planet display be visible in my area?
Yes. We examined Stellarium’s sky map from several locations across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and a view of the planet was visible everywhere we examined. according to Star WalkThe display will be visible everywhere from Tokyo to London. We’ve also checked the Southern Hemisphere, and it will be visible there as well. Dates vary based on location, but most places should be able to see it sometime between February 21 and 28.
How can I find the different planets in the sky?
The image above gives you a general idea of where they are in relation to each other, but the best thing you can do is check a sky map and plan ahead. We recommend Sky map for Stellarium If you are using desktop and Stellarium Mobile (Android and iOS) if you use your phone.
We recommend finding Venus first because it is the easiest to discover of the four planets closest to the Sun. You can then use the app to find the other three. Jupiter and Uranus are alone in the night sky and will be there after the other four have retreated below the horizon, so we recommend finding those last ones because they will stay longer.
Will I need any special equipment to watch the show?
Yes. With the four planets close to the sun, it will be difficult to see them with the naked eye, due to light pollution. It is impossible to see Uranus and Neptune without a magnifying device of some kind, even in complete darkness. A telescope is highly recommended. Astronomers suggest Aperture of at least 8 inches and 50x magnification for best results. This is powerful enough to see the rings of Uranus and Saturn. You need a telescope with about 150x magnification to see Neptune’s rings.
The usual space width tips also apply. Move away from the city to a place with as little light pollution as possible, because you’re really fighting the sun to see these things. Be very careful not to point your telescope at the sun, as this may damage your eyes. Try to choose a night with as little cloud cover as possible.
The first of the three planetary displays is in 2026
Planetary marches are uncommon, but sometimes the universe smiles on Earth. This year is going to be a really good year for planetary parades, as three are expected to take place in 2026. February is the first. The other two are scheduled to occur in April (five planets) and August (six planets). This means there are two more chances to see the planet show in 2026 if you have to miss the show in February.