Six planets will align in the night sky Saturday into Sunday this weekend, with most visible to the naked eye.
NASA says at least one planet is typically visible on any clear night, and two or three planets often appear during sunset hours. When four or more bright planets can be seen simultaneously, that is what NASA calls a planetary parade or, more technically, a planetary alignment.
This occurs when multiple planets line up in the sky. NASA noted that as planets orbit the sun, they occasionally reach positions known as oppositions and conjunctions, making them line up in the sky. While the planets are not physically in a line in space, they appear close together from Earth’s perspective on one side of the sun.
When will the planets be visible?
The alignment will peak on Saturday, Feb. 28, featuring Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn and Uranus. While Saturday is the peak, the planets will still be visible at different points throughout the weekend.
These alignments happen every few years as the planets orbit the sun. Though not very rare, NASA says they “afford an uncommon opportunity to look up and appreciate our place in our solar system.”
When is the best time to view the planets?
For the best view, head outside about an hour after sunset and find a location away from tall buildings and trees. Look west to spot Mercury, Venus and Saturn near the horizon; Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune will appear higher in the sky, according to The Associated Press.
The higher a planet is from the horizon, the easier it is to spot. “Earth’s atmosphere near the ground dims celestial objects as they rise or set,” NASA noted.
Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter should be visible to the naked eye under clear skies. However, to see Uranus and Neptune, skygazers will likely need a telescope or binoculars. Mercury can be tricky to spot because it is so close to the horizon, according to NASA.
The “parade” will also feature a guest appearance by the moon and a famous star cluster. The waxing gibbous moon will move near the Beehive Cluster, a group of about 1,000 stars located 577 light-years from the Earth, according to Live Science.
The difference between a planet and a star
Telling the two apart is simple: “If it’s twinkling, it’s a star. If it is not twinkling, it’s a planet,” said planetary scientist Sara Mazrouei with Humber Polytechnic in Canada, according to The Associated Press.
While viewing peaks Feb. 28, the planets will be visible in the days leading up to the alignment and will remain visible to some degree for a few days after.