6 planets will align in the sky in a rare celestial event on August 10—here's how to watch it

This rare planetary parade of six planets, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, will become visible in the early morning sky.
PUBLISHED AUG 7, 2025
Digital illustration of the Solar system (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty | rbkomar)
Digital illustration of the Solar system (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty | rbkomar)

A rare celestial event is set to unfold in the early morning sky, offering a stunning alignment of six planets. Beginning around August 10, skygazers will have the opportunity to see Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all at once in a planetary parade that will span a significant portion of the month, according to National Geographic.

Our solar system includes the Sun, eight planets, five officially named dwarf planets, hundreds of moons, and thousands of asteroids and comets (Image Source: NASA)
Our solar system includes the Sun, eight planets, five officially named dwarf planets, hundreds of moons, and thousands of asteroids and comets (Image Source: NASA)

While the event officially kicks off on August 10, the best viewing conditions are expected in the nights leading up to August 23. This period promises minimal moonlight and positions Mercury at its farthest point from the Sun, making it easier to spot, as per Wired. Astronomers say this alignment is a must-see, as the next time these six planets will be visible together won't be until February 2026. To get the best view, observers should seek out a location away from artificial light and moonlight, which can obscure dimmer objects. If a flashlight is necessary, a red-light option is recommended to protect night vision. 

A sky chart showing Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus in a
A sky chart showing Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus in a "planet parade (Representative Image Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

The planets will appear in a specific sequence across the sky. From the Northern hemisphere, viewers should look to the southwest to find Neptune and Saturn, followed by Uranus in the southeast. Venus and Jupiter will then be visible in the east, with Mercury completing the lineup as it rises just above the eastern horizon. Southern Hemisphere observers will see a similar arrangement but should look toward the north. Neptune and Saturn will be in the northwest, Uranus will be in the north, and Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury will be visible in the northeast, positioned slightly lower on the horizon

Part of our solar system, along with other stars of the Milky Way galaxy, as seen over Lone Rock in Skull Valley, Utah (Image Source: NASA)
Part of our solar system, along with other stars of the Milky Way galaxy, as seen over Lone Rock in Skull Valley, Utah (Image Source: NASA)

The planetary parade begins with Neptune and Saturn, which will rise between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time, depending on your location. Saturn, easily visible with the naked eye, will be especially rewarding to view with binoculars or a telescope, which can reveal its famous rings and largest moon, Titan. Neptune, however, is much dimmer and requires a powerful telescope, with the best viewing conditions on or around August 23, when moonlight won't interfere, as mentioned on Wired

Next up is Uranus, which rises between 11:45 p.m. and 12:45 a.m. for most locations. This faint, pale-blue disc will also require binoculars or a telescope to be seen and will be best viewed around the moonless night of August 23. You can find it just below the beautiful Pleiades star cluster, a great backup target if you can't spot Uranus. Finally, the brightest planets, Jupiter and Venus, will rise together between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. These two will be almost in conjunction, appearing less than one degree apart, and are easily visible with the naked eye. Through a telescope or binoculars, you can spot Jupiter's four largest moons, along with its swirling cloud bands and iconic Great Red Spot. You can also observe Venus's phases, which are not visible to the naked eye. 

The last planet to rise is Mercury, appearing between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. for most observers. The best window to see Mercury is from August 18-23, when it will be at its greatest distance from the Sun, offering a wider viewing window before sunrise. It is important to note that Mercury is very close to the Sun, so you should never use binoculars or a telescope to view it to avoid serious eye damage. Once Mercury sets for good in late August, the other planets will remain visible for a while, offering plenty of additional opportunities for stargazing

MORE STORIES

November 2025 is prime time for skywatching, featuring the year's biggest Supermoon, the prolific Leonids meteor peak, and must-see planetary close calls.
11 hours ago
As of October 28, 2025, the comet resides in the Aquarius constellation. Its present separation from Earth is more than 29.2 million miles.
13 hours ago
The icy visitor, which reached its closest point on October 21, is currently situated more than 63.3 million miles from Earth and is swiftly pulling away.
15 hours ago
The Supermoon phenomenon will reach its most dramatic point on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
18 hours ago
The shower coincides with a 'swarm year,' meaning observers are far more likely to see spectacular, bright fireballs.
1 day ago
Mercury reaches its greatest elongation, its peak visible separation from the Sun, at 6:00 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CDT) on October 29, 2025.
1 day ago
As of today, October 24, Comet Lemmon is positioned within the constellation Boötes.
4 days ago
Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN), confirmed via the SOHO SWAN camera last month, reached its closest approach to Earth on October 20.
4 days ago
The active meteor season, which began in September, is set to continue lighting up the night sky till November.
5 days ago
Despite widespread anticipation that the object would be completely obscured from view as it passed behind the Sun, an amateur astronomer tracked it.
5 days ago