6 planets to parade across night sky in late February

Skygazers can spot most of the planets with the naked eye during the celestial event.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Six planets will be visible in the night sky at the end of February, and most can be seen with the naked eye. It's what's known as a planetary parade, which happens when multiple planets appear to line up in the sky at once. The planets aren't in a straight line, but are close together on one side of the sun. Skygazers can usually spot two or three planets after sunset, but lineups of four or five that can be glimpsed with the naked eye are less common and occur every few years.

Why it matters

Planetary parades are a rare celestial event that allow stargazers to connect with the ancient astronomers who used to make sense of the universe by looking up at the stars and planets. Seeing multiple planets in the night sky is a fun way for modern-day skywatchers to engage with the cosmos.

The details

On Saturday, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye if clear skies allow. Uranus and Neptune can only be spotted with binoculars and telescopes. Go outside about an hour after sunset and venture away from tall buildings and trees that will block the view. Look to the western sky and spot Mercury, Venus and Saturn close to the horizon. Jupiter will be higher up, along with Uranus and Neptune.

  • On Saturday, February 28, 2026, the planetary parade will be visible.
  • The parade should be visible over the weekend and in the days after.

The players

Sara Mazrouei

A planetary scientist with Humber Polytechnic in Canada.

Emily Elizondo

A planetary scientist with Michigan State University.

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What they’re saying

“If it's twinkling, it's a star. If it is not twinkling, it's a planet.”

— Sara Mazrouei, Planetary scientist (abc7.com)

“Glimpsing many in the sky at once is a fun way to connect with astronomers of centuries' past.”

— Emily Elizondo, Planetary scientist (abc7.com)

What’s next

The planetary parade should be visible over the weekend and in the days after, but eventually Mercury will dip below the horizon.

The takeaway

This rare celestial event allows modern-day stargazers to engage with the cosmos in the same way ancient astronomers did, by simply looking up at the night sky and marveling at the planets' movements.