How to see the planetary parade in Northern California
Updated: 12:05 PM PST Feb 28, 2025
Seven planets will align in a “parade” on Friday to end February. Conditions in Northern California should be great for taking in the celestial event, according to our weather team. Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn said skies should be mostly clear. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will not be in a straight line but close together on one side of the sun, The Associated Press reported. “While astronomically, the planets may be aligned, viewing all the planets will be impossible because the planets Mercury and Saturn are too close to the sun, so they will not be visible,” Verdoorn said. “You can still see, without a telescope, the planets Venus, Jupiter and Mars that have been in the night sky for months.”Uranus and Neptune can be seen with a telescope or binoculars. When to see the parade of planets? Check after the sun sets. Consider using a stargazing mobile app to help spot the planets. When are the next planetary alignments happening? NASA says four planets will be visible at once again in late August 2025 and five planets in late October 2028. Five planets will again be visible in late February 2034. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Seven planets will align in a “parade” on Friday to end February. Conditions in Northern California should be great for taking in the celestial event, according to our weather team.
Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn said skies should be mostly clear.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will not be in a straight line but close together on one side of the sun, The Associated Press reported.
“While astronomically, the planets may be aligned, viewing all the planets will be impossible because the planets Mercury and Saturn are too close to the sun, so they will not be visible,” Verdoorn said. “You can still see, without a telescope, the planets Venus, Jupiter and Mars that have been in the night sky for months.”
Uranus and Neptune can be seen with a telescope or binoculars.
When to see the parade of planets?
Check after the sun sets. Consider using a stargazing mobile app to help spot the planets.
When are the next planetary alignments happening?
NASA says four planets will be visible at once again in late August 2025 and five planets in late October 2028. Five planets will again be visible in late February 2034.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
