2025 is kicking off with an exciting treat for stargazers—a planet parade just weeks into the new year. A planet parade occurs when multiple planets from our solar system can simultaneously be seen in the night sky.
This time, six planets will be visible: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus. They will be observable in the days leading up to January 21 and for about four weeks afterward. Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn should be visible to the naked eye, but spotting Neptune and Uranus will require a high-powered device, such as a telescope.
For those in the Northern Hemisphere, the optimal viewing time will be just after sunset, around 8:30 p.m. local time. Venus, Saturn, and Neptune might still be visible near the horizon after that, but they will dip below the horizon by 11:30 p.m. to midnight, depending on your location. Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus will remain visible a bit longer, with Mars setting just before sunrise.
Unlike previous planet parades, this one is expected to last quite some time since the planets are well-positioned in the sky. All six planets should be visible nightly until roughly the last week of February.
Following that, a seven-planet parade will occur when Mercury briefly joins the group for a couple of days, turning this into a rare event involving all seven planets in our solar system except Earth. Seeing all seven might be tricky because Saturn, Mercury, and Neptune will be close to the sun around sunset, but they will be there.
By early March, Mercury, Saturn, and Neptune will have moved too close to the sun to be easily visible, with Venus following soon after, leaving only Jupiter, Mars, and Uranus in the night sky until the next parade.
Will my area be able to see the Planet Parade?
Most locations in the U.S., Canada, and Europe should have a good view of the planetary parade, thanks to its extended duration and minimal planetary movement. Observatories in California, Texas, Ohio, and New York, as well as Calgary in Canada and Mexico City, confirmed the visibility of all six planets at each site. So, regardless of whether you’re far north, south, east, or west, you should be able to catch the event.
In general, the ideal time to view the Planet parade will be between January 21 and February 21. The best period is the week of January 29 during the new moon. (As we explain in this story, a new moon is when the moon is fully shadowed, making it appear as though it has disappeared.) The reduced moonlight will lower light pollution, making Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn easier to spot.
You won’t have to wait long to see all six planets. They will appear as soon as the sun sets, and once it’s dark, there will only be a few hours to view them before Venus, Saturn, and Neptune sink below the horizon. This timing applies no matter your location.
At the end of February, Mercury will make a brief appearance, increasing the planet count to seven. The best time to see this will be right at sunset, though it may be challenging with the sun still near the horizon.
Will I need special equipment to view the parade?
Technically, yes. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and possibly Saturn can be seen with the naked eye under good conditions. However, Neptune and Uranus are too distant to observe without special equipment. Astronomers recommend using a telescope with at least an 8-inch aperture and 50x magnification for Uranus and 150x magnification for Neptune to see their rings. If you have a telescope, point it at Saturn as well. At just 25x magnification, you can see Saturn’s iconic rings in detail.
Standard stargazing rules apply: get away from city lights, which can obstruct your view due to light pollution. Even suburban areas may have too much light for clear viewing. If you plan to drive out to a more remote area, ensure it’s a clear night with minimal cloud cover.
If you’re aiming to see all seven planets at the end of February, be prepared for a challenge, as some planets will be near the sun. Consider investing in UV protection for your eyes and exercise caution when pointing your telescope.
How can I locate the planets in the sky?
Since Neptune and Uranus are hard to find and Saturn and Venus will be close to each other, locating all six planets may be tricky. Several useful tools can help. Check out Stellarium’s website or Time and Date’s Night Sky Map to get a sense of where each planet will be. Star Walk 2 is a great app for both Android and iOS, and Stellarium also offers Android and iOS apps.
What is a planetary parade?
A planetary parade is an informal term used to describe an event where four or more planets appear to line up in the night sky at the same time. While it’s not an official astronomical term, NASA has occasionally referred to it as a “parade of planets.”
The official term is planetary alignment, though this can cause some confusion. Some people interpret it as meaning that the planets line up perfectly on one side of the sun, which isn’t possible. Instead, it means the planets are generally on the same side of the sun and appear close to lined up from Earth’s perspective.
In everyday language, planetary parades and alignments mean the same thing—several planets are visible in the night sky simultaneously, even if they are far apart in their orbits but appear aligned when viewed from Earth.
