If you miss it, you will have to wait another 15 years to see the planets again
Get your telescopes at the ready, as this will be the last time you’ll be able to see seven planets in the night sky for another 15 years.
Get ready for a celestial spectacle like no other this week!
If you’re free tomorrow, why not grab a chair and blanket, find a clear spot, and prepare to be amazed by a rare seven-planet alignment. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Mercury will all line up in the sky, offering an incredible view. The only major planet missing from this cosmic gathering is Pluto—so don’t miss your chance to witness this rare planetary event!
These rare alignments happen when the planets all orbit the Sun on the same level, though they travel at different speeds.
For example, Mercury, being the closest to the Sun, takes just 88 days to complete its orbit, while Neptune, the furthest planet, takes a staggering 165 years. Every now and then, the planets’ orbits sync up, creating what’s known as a “planetary parade,” where you can catch all of them in the sky.
Dr. Shyam Balaji, a researcher in astroparticle physics and cosmology at King’s College London, explained: “On February 28, a seven-planet alignment will occur. Alignments where multiple planets appear close together in the sky are rare but happen periodically.”
He went on to say that alignments of six or more planets occur roughly every few decades, depending on the specific positions of the planets in their orbits.
“Planetary alignments occur because the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun within the same plane, called the ecliptic plane,” Dr. Balaji continued. “Since each planet moves at a different speed and distance from the Sun, there are moments when they appear to line up from Earth’s perspective. It’s important to note that this is a visual phenomenon, not a physical one, as the planets remain separated by millions, even billions, of kilometers in space.”
Experts have clarified that there’s no significant impact on Earth from planetary alignments, including no major changes to tides or weather. In fact, the gravitational influence of the planets on Earth is so minimal that it’s negligible compared to the much stronger forces exerted by the Moon and Sun.
So, if you were hoping for a cosmic chain reaction, don’t worry—nothing dramatic will occur. As for theories suggesting minor effects on solar activity, like the idea proposed by Frank Stefani, who speculated that the alignments of Venus, Earth, and Jupiter could impact the Sun’s 11-year solar cycle, there is no solid scientific backing for this. Stefani’s theory about the combined gravitational pull creating internal rotations within the Sun remains unproven.
But if you’re looking to experience the magic of this rare event, grab your binoculars and head to an area with a clear view of the night sky. The brightest planets—Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter—will be easy to spot, with Mars glowing faintly in orange. Uranus and Neptune will be trickier to find, but with the right conditions, you should be able to see their tiny dots just after sunset.
If you miss this rare planetary parade, don’t worry—it’ll be back again in 2040! This is your chance to catch a celestial show like no other!
