Seven-Planet Alignment on February 28; Next in 2040

[{"selector":"#anim-da3c58df-65d7-4911-ba2f-a48d31ee39b5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5b032c7-8823-4f33-a190-1871db776a0d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f24d82a5-0b7b-4f52-902a-5ffa80a44c93","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7eae4ca5-9356-4809-9d16-e2beb3091606","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Seven-Planet Alignment on February 28; Next in 2040 Rahul Somvanshi

The planetary parade occurs when the planets appear to form a line across the night sky from Earth's perspective.

[{"selector":"#anim-405c5564-a883-4e9d-84eb-b25712e985ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80f9a82c-1b18-4d11-af3f-8e3291e6b733","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-221ff4ef-32de-4f89-bad9-43b13148d614","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ebe3702a-0300-4b21-87f1-34d9f40a3040","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06fe82f1-bcc2-4300-979c-92017b329cf3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: H. Raab (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

There's a rare opportunity to have seven planets in essentially a convenient place for you to look for them.

[{"selector":"#anim-9b0370f0-89b2-4923-8ed1-d6930c2830ce","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab1e09e6-f51e-4c47-a91b-173e9622399d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 246.29639%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92e3055e-efef-401c-8d0b-3b62b989d447","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6100b86b-05b9-423b-a3a1-d9e985394dd2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0551440d-816d-4735-9169-a6ce1e95c079","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: CactiStaccingCrane (CC BY-SA 4.0)

You really only have a few minutes after sunset to catch them before they drop below the horizon.

[{"selector":"#anim-110eb2b2-45ff-44ee-aed5-d827df652ae3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4521c46e-8fc1-402e-a1e5-e5715891b534","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96bc2a26-c491-40f1-be94-05c39fe9ca75","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d5b8f1d-9731-4e9a-a7fa-03ed42fa3910","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe024a04-6766-464f-8d36-595ccc90258d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Fir0002 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Four planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter - were visible to the naked eye, with Venus the brightest.

[{"selector":"#anim-2b223811-98c8-4e3f-bf32-f9be95538f52","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8bf9946b-22d8-491e-bb18-53e67d9e0b32","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 249.23753%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5a83fce-a118-40fe-8660-ebe046184885","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1b61730-fbca-4bb0-93ce-d47966488efe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79622a9f-fd68-467b-858a-51aaa5591520","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Kevin M. Gill (CC BY 2.0)

Saturn was more difficult to spot due to its position low on the horizon. Uranus and Neptune require telescopes.

[{"selector":"#anim-1989b283-555c-4440-bf08-6e23976cfbcb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30ed3ddc-94b2-49a4-87db-ab96b4a54ba9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-064e6187-9013-4598-9f9a-618fb68ab319","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ec2f907d-dca0-4865-8614-021152cc4e7e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0792c64c-ef1a-4783-8954-43ac8842d265","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: NASA, ESA, A. Simon, M.H. Wong (CC BY 4.0)

After the 2025 alignment, we'll have to wait until 2040 for the next seven-planet parade.

[{"selector":"#anim-e8987906-34b7-4789-b187-2fee1968ebb5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39b2080e-b998-49af-b16f-4295686a8e54","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 331.87149%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd7fad32-ec81-4167-9b86-d735bb71ad9b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62ba1fd2-903c-4326-9a39-8d333944a8ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-edecb114-4b5b-46df-a1e7-64fdb026b1f4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: G.Hüdepohl (CC BY 4.0)

The 2025 planetary parade coincided with India's Maha Kumbh Mela, adding cultural significance.

[{"selector":"#anim-bfcbafd8-488d-4fc0-939b-94edbfc94fd3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9f955a38-5c10-4699-889a-8e6338a8a910","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d4c192b6-5ce5-4f2b-bd7d-a1e92a8d70ab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d07e6e83-7b24-4fac-aed6-37db941bb3cc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-be63adc6-8fb3-4a9c-8cbe-95eee0bad096","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: AlGraChe (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

For the best view, astronomers recommended finding a location with minimal light pollution and clear skies.

[{"selector":"#anim-6eed4bff-4c05-4610-92c9-8f8e7e0c8b6f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f752b353-45c6-4cdb-937d-64c173ff2d49","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 196.29626%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-25797cc3-e571-4f40-8962-d652ee1475f9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-029bda8a-f011-4f5f-9bf6-c609558c3a49","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -113.98032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e3ef84d-f8d6-43c5-83f0-2d7e520dc6b2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Geekr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

[{"selector":"#anim-1b6a7dbe-0fbb-43a5-abfd-24c762dd5b02","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-adba8cb5-187d-4c66-bddf-32ad93001348","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cdd46ac5-6603-4d22-8ad0-d08fd03749b5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa9ecd91-71d1-4d0f-a232-9637b986d3b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f1b4bae-82ac-489f-88e1-b3733d2b2ee3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.87301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Record-Breaking: Star-Planet Duo Zooms at 1.2 Million MPH Learn more