Skygazers are in for a treat this weekend as six planets line up in a rare celestial parade.
Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter will appear close together in the sky on Saturday, February 28 in a rare planet alignment sometimes called "planetary parade."
According to NASA, smaller groupings of three to five planets occur fairly regularly but a parade of six planet altogether is quite rare.
What happens during planetary parade?
Planetary parade happens when several planets appear to line up in the sky form Earth's perspective.
However, this alignment won't last together because each planet moves at its own speed, so the lineup changes quickly.
How to watch planetary parade 2026?
The ideal time to see the planets is roughly 30 minutes to an hour after sunset.
Dr David Armstrong, associate professor in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Group at the University of Warwick, said: “The planets will be visible for an hour or so after sunset, though some will stay up for longer, so this is one of the most convenient opportunities for several years.
Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter should be visible to the naked eye but Uranus and Neptune will likely require binoculars or a telescope.
On the other hand, apps like Stellarium or SkyView can help you find the planets more easily.
