Topline
This weekend is the last chance to see any of February’s much-hyped “planet parade” or “planetary parade” before it completely fades from view. While six planets are technically above the horizon after sunset, the lineup is already breaking apart. Mercury has slipped into bright twilight, Saturn is sinking fast, and Neptune is effectively gone. Only Venus — briefly — and Jupiter remain reliable naked-eye targets. Although it’s not correct to call it a planetary alignment, the parade is real in terms of geometry — but visually, Jupiter steals the show. If you want to catch the fading formation, this weekend is your final chance.
Key Facts
Six planets are above the horizon after sunset, but only two are easy to see. Venus is low and brief in twilight, while Jupiter is bright and visible nearly all night. However, Saturn and Uranus require binoculars, Mercury is now largely lost in glare, and Neptune is not visible, according to When the Curves Line Up.
Venus sets roughly an hour after sunset, giving observers a narrow 20-30 minute window to view. Saturn sets less than two hours after sunset and is becoming increasingly difficult to detect.
Observers will also see a waxing gibbous moon, which will be 92%-lit by Saturday, Feb. 28, near Jupiter in the constellation Gemini — and heading toward a dramatic total lunar eclipse on March 2-3.
How To See The ‘planet Parade This Weekend
Begin about 30 minutes after sunset with a completely unobstructed western horizon. Venus will be the first and easiest planet to spot, shining at magnitude -3.9, but its visibility window is short, so don’t delay. Close by will be Mercury, but it’s now extremely faint and no longer a realistic naked-eye target. Saturn sits a little higher, but it’s dimmer than Venus, and will likely require binoculars. After the western planets set, turn east-southeast to see Jupiter dominate the night sky close to the bright stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini. It’s by far the most rewarding planet of the parade. If you have binoculars, you may glimpse Uranus near the Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus, though bright moonlight will make that difficult.
Why This Is The Final Weekend
Mercury is fading rapidly, Saturn is slipping into brighter twilight each evening, and Neptune’s observing window has already closed. By early March, the western grouping will no longer resemble a “parade.” Jupiter will remain high and brilliant. Venus will slowly climb higher in the coming weeks and come to dominate the summer night sky in a brilliant display. However, the six-planet showing will be over.
Why It’s Not A ‘planetary Alignment’
The so-called lineup of planets is about geometry and timing, and is in no way an alignment. There is no straight-line formation of planets in space. The planets orbit the sun along nearly the same flat plane — the ecliptic — so they always appear along a similar arc across our sky. When several happen to be positioned on the same side of the sun as Earth, they can be visible at the same time after sunset. This creates the impression of a lineup, but in reality, the planets remain separated by millions or even billions of miles. It’s better described as a “planet parade,” not a true alignment. Inner planets like Venus and Mercury often stay near the sun and are hidden in its glare, while outer planets appear farther away and are typically easier to spot at night.
