Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
A rare celestial event will occur on February 28, 2025, as all seven other planets align in Earth's night sky in a mesmerizing "great planetary alignment."
On January 21, 2025, six planets—Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Saturn—will align, offering a precursor to the grand February event.
Planet alignments, though common with a few planets, rarely feature seven or eight, making this alignment a once-in-decades spectacle.
These alignments occur due to the planets' shared orbit along the ecliptic plane, a cosmic arrangement dating back to the Solar System’s formation.
While planets orbit slightly above or below the ecliptic, their collective alignment creates the illusion of a line across the sky.
Interactive tools like Time and Date and apps like Sky Tonight provide real-time planet positions to ensure you don’t miss this phenomenon.
For the best view of the alignment, binoculars or a telescope will be essential to spot fainter planets like Uranus and Neptune.
Clear skies are crucial, so start checking weather forecasts and planning ideal observation spots to fully enjoy this cosmic parade.
With January’s large alignment and February’s great alignment, 2025 promises to be a year of celestial wonders for stargazers.