Stargazers, get ready for a celestial spectacle!
This February, six planets—Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — are currently visible in the night sky.
But if you hold out until February 28, you could catch an even rarer event: Mercury will join the lineup, creating a stunning seven-planet alignment—something that won’t happen again until 2040.
Why Do Planetary Alignments Happen?
Planetary alignments occur because all eight major planets in our Solar System orbit the Sun on the same flat plane — but at different speeds.
Mercury, the closest to the Sun, completes an orbit in just 88 days, whereas Neptune, the farthest, takes a staggering 165 Earth years.
When their orbits sync up just right, multiple planets can appear in our sky at the same time, forming what’s sometimes called a planetary parade, per BBC Future.
This alignment isn’t just a treat for the eyes — it’s also an exciting event for scientists.
“There is something special about looking at the planets with your own eyes,” Jenifer Millard, a science communicator and astronomer at Fifth Star Labs in the UK, tells the BBC. “Yes, you can go on Google and get a more spectacular view of all these planets. But when you’re looking at these objects, these are photons that have traveled millions or billions of miles through space to hit your retinas.”
Do Planet Alignments Affect Earth?
Not really — but they might influence the Sun.
In 2019, Frank Stefani, a physicist at Helmholtz-Zentrum research center in Germany, suggested that the alignments of Venus, Earth, and Jupiter could play a role in the Sun’s mysterious 11-year solar cycle.
He theorized that their combined gravitational pull could create small internal rotations within the Sun, called Rossby waves, which might influence solar activity.
However, not everyone is convinced by Stefani’s theory.
Robert Cameron, a solar scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany, dismissed the idea, saying: “The observational evidence suggests that the planets directly causing the solar cycle just doesn’t happen. There’s no evidence of any synchronization.”
How to See the Seven-Planet Alignment
Want to witness this cosmic phenomenon for yourself? Here’s what you need to know:
Which Planets Can You See?
-Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are bright enough to be visible to the naked eye.
-Uranus and Neptune require binoculars or a telescope.
Where to Look
The planets will form an arc across the sky rather than a perfect straight line, following the Sun’s path, also known as the ecliptic.
Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter will be the brightest, appearing as white points of light. Mars will have a distinct orange glow, while Uranus and Neptune may require exceptionally dark skies to be seen.
Best Time to Watch
-Throughout February, six planets are visible.
-On February 28, Mercury joins the lineup, making all seven planets visible.
-Saturn and Mercury will be the first to dip below the horizon, so catch them just after sunset.
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Best Viewing Tips
-Find a location away from city lights to minimize light pollution.
-Use astronomy apps like Time and Date, Stellarium, or Sky Tonight for the best times and locations based on your area.
-If you have binoculars or a telescope, use them to spot Uranus and Neptune.
Don’t Miss It—Next Chance is in 2040
If you’ve ever wanted to witness a planetary parade, this is your chance.
The next opportunity to see such a spectacular alignment won’t come until 2040.
So mark your calendars for February 28, grab your telescope (or a pair of binoculars), and head to the darkest spot you can find—because the universe is putting on one incredible show.
Planet Alignments Have Shaped Space Exploration
These cosmic events aren’t just beautiful — they’ve played a crucial role in space exploration.
In 1966, NASA scientist Gary Flandro discovered that a rare planetary alignment would occur in 1977, allowing a spacecraft to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune within just 12 years.
This led to NASA launching the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions, which took advantage of Jupiter’s gravity to slingshot outward, reducing travel time.
Voyager 2 became the only spacecraft in history to visit Uranus and Neptune, a feat that would have taken 30 years if launched just a few years later.
Beyond Our Solar System — How Planetary Alignments Help Us Discover Exoplanets
Alignments also play a key role in exoplanet discovery. The transit method, the most common way of finding planets beyond our Solar System, works by detecting dips in a star’s brightness when a planet crosses in front of it.
This is how scientists discovered the Trappist-1 system, located 40 light-years away.
Trappist-1 has seven Earth-sized planets, and their unique orbital resonance allows for periods where multiple planets align perfectly.
“When a planet with an atmosphere goes in front of a star, that alignment means the starlight goes through the planet, and the molecules and atoms in the planet’s atmosphere absorb light at certain wavelengths,” explains Jessie Christiansen, an astronomer at the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute. This allows scientists to identify gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen, giving insight into a planet’s habitability.
This really is a spectacle you won’t want to miss!
