Exciting news for stargazers! On February 28, 2025, all seven planets of our Solar System—Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars—will line up in the night sky. This special event is called a great planetary alignment, and it’s a sight you won’t want to miss.
While it’s common to see a couple of planets close together, it’s much rarer for all the major planets to align. Alignments can involve as few as three planets up to all eight, but seeing seven lined up is a true rarity.
It’s important to note that this alignment won’t look like the perfect rows you see in diagrams. Instead, the planets will appear along an imaginary line in the sky. They all orbit the Sun on a flat plane called the ecliptic. Most planets are close to this plane, making the alignment possible.
This planetary arrangement happens when the planets are on the same side of the Sun in their orbits, allowing us to see them together on the same night.
How to Watch the Alignment
Your viewing experience will depend on where you are in the world. You can use different tools to find out when and where to look for the planets. For interactive rise and set times for each planet, check out Time and Date.
Another excellent resource is Stellarium, which shows the current positions of the planets in the sky. If you want a mobile option, download the Sky Tonight app. It uses your phone’s location to show you where to look for celestial objects.
Binoculars or a telescope will help you see the planets more clearly, so it’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time. Don’t forget to hope for clear skies!
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