When (and How) to Watch This Month’s ‘Planet Parade’
Watching one or two planets in our solar system is good Skywatch, but the vision (almost) all of them is simultaneously the main moment for celestial observers this month. Here’s how to view the February parade of the planet.
What is the “parade of the planet?”
The “Planet Parade” is not a technical astronomical term, but it is used to describe the phenomenon visible from the Earth, in which several planets – thanks for their position in the orbit around the Sun – adaptation to level each other. In colloquial speech, it is sometimes used interchangeably with “planetary leveling”, although this phrase can have several meanings.
While aligning two or three planets is quite common, parades of four or five (or more) are less common. Planetary leveling usually lasts for several weeks, although visibility varies during this time, since the planets continue their orbits. The current parade actually began at the end of January and will last until the end of February.
When, where and how to see the planets in February this year
The media lighting of the parade in February 2025 varies depending on the exact details, but we know for sure that Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen together – suitable for the naked eyes – this month. Uranus and Neptune also join the parade, but require a telescope or very good binoculars to observe.
Mercury will appear on February 24, in combination with Saturn-by relation to Space.com lighting, you can find both on the western-yugo-western horizon If You have a clear sky and binoculars. Nevertheless, NASA says that you should not raise your hopes, since both planets can be too low and dull at that moment to see.
The parade will be seen throughout North America, and the best time to catch it in the first few hours after twilight: between 8:30 to midnight in local time, after which several planets will fall below the horizon. Please note that Saturn will begin to leave the field of vision around the middle of the month, with minimal visibility after sunset.
As with any heavenly viewing, ideal conditions include a clear, dark sky with minimal light pollution or cloud cover. If you want to catch uranium and/or Neptune, take a telescope with you with an increase of at least 50 times for the first and 150 -fold increase for the latter.
Finally, if you need help in searching and identifying planets, try an astronomical application, such as Star Walk 2 or Stellarium.