Planet parade: Five tips for recognizing all seven planets this week

All seven planets will be set up in a rare planetary parade in the night sky on Friday, which will not be repeated for 15 years.

In the heavenly exhibition, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Merkur and Saturn will occur at the same time between sunset and 6:30 p.m. on February 28th.

It is expected that all seven planets are last aligned until 2040. It is therefore recommended to remember to catch the cosmic event.

We spoke to experienced astronomers who have built the science behind this rare orientation and shared some top tips to help them optimally use this magical planetary parade.

What is a planetary parade?

“A planetary parade is a moment when several planets are visible in the sky,” says Dr. Greg Brown, astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich. “How impressive a parade is depends on how many planets are in it and how visible they are.”

This week all seven planets are suddenly technically visible, although they are not all equally easy to recognize.

“Mercury, Neptune and Saturn are all very close to the horizon in the early evening and will have difficulty being seen at dusk in the case of Neptune and Saturn,” notes Brown. “In addition, Uranus like Neptune is very weak, which makes it almost impossible without finding binoculars or a telescope.

“However, Venus, Jupiter and Mars are all very easy to see.”

How often is it?

“Groups of three, four or even five visible planets are not unusual and occur regularly every year,” says Brown. “But the more planets are involved, the more things must be aligned so that they are visible immediately. This makes full parades of seven planets quite rare. ”

Why does that happen?

“Planetary orientations occur because the planets in our solar system circle the sun in approximately the same level, which is referred to as an ecliptic level,” explains Dr. Shyam Balaji, researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King's College London. “While they circle with different speeds and distances from the sun, there are moments when they seem to be pending from the perspective of the earth.”

When will the best time to recognize it?

“The orientation is expected to be visible from February 23 to February 28, 2025,” says Balaji. “But the top observation option is on February 28, shortly after sunset when the planets are positioned above the western horizon.”

Will the weather influence this?

“The night must measure itself from clouds over large parts of the sky to recognize all planets,” says Brown. “If you look at a telescope or binoculars, it also helps when the night is quiet and little wind is in the way, since this is much easier to see on the planets such as the ribbons on Jupiter or the rods of Mars.”

Five tips to maximize your chances of seeing the heavenly event

1. Find a location away from urban lights

“The lower the light pollution, the easier it is to see weak objects in the night sky so that it will be a plus to be in the country,” says Brown.

2. Consider binoculars or a small telescope

“Finding Mars to Jupiter and Venus will not be a problem at all that is visible to the undivided eye shortly after sunset, but finding one of the others will probably require binoculars or a telescope,” emphasizes Brown.

3. Wait until the sun goes down

“If you are looking for Saturn, Neptune or mercury with a telescope or binoculars, wait until the sun is set to avoid it,” advises Brown. “But as soon as it has set itself, they don't stay around, since all three disappear under the horizon very soon after sunset.”

4. Use a smartphone adapter

“Look at a smartphone adapter for your telescope, with which you can see a picture of exactly what you would see with your eye if you look into the eyepiece,” suggests Brown.

5. Search for moon shapes

“Try a telescope after the moons of the Jupiter or the shape of the illuminated part of the surface of Venus – like a tiny crescent,” recommends Brown.

When will the next planetary parade be?

The next event of five or more planets that appear at the same time is 2028, while six planets align in 2034.

A planetary parade of seven planets then takes place in 2040.

Additional reporting of agencies.