Six planets are about to stack up in the evening sky in a rare alignment that will briefly turn the western horizon into a live solar system diagram. For a short window after sunset, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will all gather in view, some to the naked eye and others through basic backyard gear. I want to walk through what is happening, when to look, and how to give yourself the best chance of catching the full spectacle.
Unlike a meteor shower that can be watched for hours, this planetary lineup is a precision event with a narrow viewing window and a clear direction to face. With a bit of planning, even city dwellers can step outside, look west and watch the “parade” unfold in real time.
What astronomers mean by a February “planet parade”
When astronomers talk about a planetary parade, they are describing several planets appearing along the same arc of sky that traces the Sun’s path, the ecliptic, rather than a perfect straight line. On February 28, that arc will host six worlds at once in the early evening, a configuration that has been flagged as one of the standout sky events of the year. According to one detailed rundown of 2026’s major sky shows, On February 28 we will see not one, not two, but six planets in the evening sky.
Several independent guides agree that the lineup will feature Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune clustered in the west after sunset, with four of those planets bright enough for unaided eyes and the outer two requiring optics. One overview notes that Four of those planets will be visible to the unaided eye, weather permitting, while Uranus and Neptune will be harder to spot. Another widely shared explainer frames the same evening as a moment when six planets, including Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune, will line up in the western sky after sunset, creating a striking Mercury, Venus, Mars, tableau.
Which planets you will actually see
For casual observers, the headline is that several bright worlds will be obvious without any equipment at all. One practical skywatching guide stresses that Four, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus,, will be visible with no gear needed once the sky has darkened enough. A separate forecast for the same evening notes that Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and possibly Mercury will all be visible to the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune can be seen with optical assistance, grouping Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, in the same evening show.
Closer to the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Neptune are all expected to be clustered together against the western horizon near the setting star, a configuration that one detailed explainer describes as Mercury, Venus, Saturn gathered near the Sun. Another observing note highlights that Venus, Mercury and Saturn will be clustered together in the western sky soon after the Sun sets, with this trio of Venus, Mercury and visible for a short time before they sink below the horizon.
Timing your view: a narrow window after sunset
The biggest constraint on this event is time. Several independent alerts emphasize that the best time to look is about 20 to 40 minutes after the Sun sets, a narrow window before the faintest planets vanish into the glow. One widely shared advisory spells it out clearly, saying the best time to look is about 20 to 40 m after the Sun sets, and warning that after roughly an hour, Mercury and Saturn will no longer be visible.
Another alert aimed at general audiences underlines the same urgency, noting that Mercury and Saturn will set shortly after the Sun, so you only have about a 20 to 60 m window to see the full parade. A second version of that same guidance repeats that Mercury and Saturn will set shortly after the Sun, so you only have about a 20 to 40 m window to see the full “parade,” reinforcing how quickly the opportunity closes once twilight fades.
Where to look and how to line up your view
Direction matters as much as timing. Multiple guides instruct observers to look toward the west and southwest, scanning low above the horizon where the Sun has just dipped. One social media explainer frames it simply, advising people to Look toward the w, a shorthand in a longer note that tells readers to Look toward the western horizon as twilight deepens. Another advisory aimed at global skywatchers echoes that the best time to look is about 20 to 40 minutes after the Sun sets, and that After roughly an hour, Mercury and Saturn will no longer be visible, which underscores the need for a clear, unobstructed view low in that direction.
More detailed observing advice suggests that you should Scan low above the western horizon, ideally with a clear, unobstructed view, since Mercury will appear as a small point that is often visible to the naked eye only when the sky is not too bright. That guidance to Scan low is echoed in another February skywatching note that again highlights Mercury as the trickiest target. A separate February overview explains that astronomers call the path the ecliptic, and that Four, Astronomers expect Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Mercury to follow that same arc, which can help you mentally trace the line where the planets will appear.
Gear, apps and tricks to catch every world
While the brightest planets will stand out on their own, simple tools can make the difference between glimpsing three or four worlds and ticking off all six. One detailed equipment guide notes that a telescope is highly recommended for this event and that Astronomers suggest a minimum of an 8 inch aperture and 50 times magnification to get the best views of the faintest planets near the Sun. The same source also recommends Stellarium’s sky map to help locate the planets when they are low and washed out by twilight, advice that is echoed in a second reference that again points readers to Stellarium’s sky map and reminds them that several planets will be clustered close to the sun.
For those who prefer phones to star charts, several guides recommend dedicated apps. One social media explainer lists Tools and urges observers to Use a stargazing app like Star Walk 2, Stellarium, or Sky Tonight to pinpoint each planet’s position in real time, especially as they sink toward the horizon. That advice to rely on Tools like Star Walk, Stellarium and Sky Tonight is repeated in a second version of the same guidance that again tells users to Use those apps to know when and where to look. Another February skywatching guide adds that at greatest elongation east, there is a chance to see Mercury with the naked eye soon after sunset, and singles out Mercury as the planet that benefits most from precise timing and location data.
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