"A queue in space": A rare alignment of 6 planets at the end of February

Rare six-planet alignment on Feb 28! Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus & Neptune line up in the night sky. Some visible to the naked eye.

Astronomers and stargazers are anticipating a rare astronomical phenomenon known as the "planetary display" at the end of February, in which six planets from the solar system will align in a unique visual convergence visible from most parts of the Earth.

According to data from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), February 28 will witness the peak of the phenomenon, as the planets Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will appear in close formation across the night sky.

This phenomenon, also called " planetary alignment ," occurs when a group of planets are on one side of the sun from the perspective of an observer on Earth.

Experts explained that the planets appear to be in a straight line because they revolve around the sun in a relatively flat path known as the " zodiac ."

Despite the close-knit appearance of the planets in the sky, scientists confirm that this is merely an "optical effect," as the planets are in reality separated by vast distances ranging from millions to billions of kilometers in deep space.

rare phenomenon 

"Seeing three or four planets together is not rare, but the more planets involved in the alignment, the rarer the event becomes," said Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

The sky witnessed an alignment of 7 planets in February 2025, an event that experts do not expect to be repeated until 2040.

NASA noted that four of the planets participating in this display, namely Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter, will be bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.

In contrast, observers will need binoculars or telescopes to see the planets Uranus and Neptune, given their enormous distance from Earth.

The best time to watch is about 30 minutes after sunset.