How to see six planets in the sky at once in rare celestial alignment
New Scientist
February 26, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A rare celestial alignment is set to captivate stargazers worldwide as nearly all of the solar system’s planets align in a single-file line across the night sky. This planetary parade, visible from any location on Earth, will feature six planets—Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune—except Mars, which is currently hidden behind the Sun. Such alignments occur only when the planets’ orbital paths intersect at the same side of the Sun, making this a unique opportunity for stargazers to witness a cosmic spectacle.
This alignment occurs due to the complex interplay of planetary orbits, each with vastly different durations—ranging from Mercury’s 88-day orbit to Neptune’s 165-year journey. While such events are infrequent and unpredictable, they create a stunning visual effect as the planets appear to line up along the ecliptic, the path the Sun follows across the sky. This phenomenon is an optical illusion caused by the nearly flat plane of the solar system, but from Earth’s perspective, it creates a strikingly straight line of celestial bodies.
The best dates to observe this alignment are February 28 and March 1, with optimal viewing times shortly after sunset. Stargazers should head to a location with an unobstructed view of the western horizon and minimal light pollution. On these evenings, Mercury and Venus will be visible low on the horizon immediately after sunset, followed by Saturn and Neptune slightly higher in the sky. Uranus will appear farther out, while Jupiter will be near the nearly full Moon.
While Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter are bright enough to see with the naked eye, stargazers may need binoculars or a telescope to spot Uranus and Neptune due to their distance from Earth. This alignment offers a rare chance for astronomy enthusiasts to observe multiple planets in one viewing session
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Originally published on New Scientist on 2/26/2026