Planetary Parade 2026

Planetary Parade 2026

The Planetary Parade of 28 February 2026 is a rare astronomical event in which six planets—Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and Jupiter—appear aligned in the night sky. Visible near the western horizon in an arc-like formation, brighter planets such as Venus and Jupiter are easily observable, while Uranus and Neptune require optical aids.

Salient Features: A planetary parade, scientifically termed planetary alignment, occurs when multiple planets appear clustered in a single region of the sky due to their positions relative to Earth. This alignment is not physical but an optical effect, as planets remain separated by vast distances in space. The phenomenon occurs because planets orbit the Sun along a common plane called the ecliptic plane. Depending on the number of visible planets, such events are classified as mini, small, large, or great alignments.