6 planets, moon will align in February, but there's a catch
Nearly every planet will be above the horizon at the same time after sunset, with the moon nearby. The best view comes in a short window during the first part of the night, as long as the weather cooperates.
This video captures a green fireball soaring across the sky near Wellington, New Zealand, on Jan. 30. Experts say the object was likely a meteor, possibly a bolide, based on its speed and brightness.
The first major planetary alignment of 2026 will take shape after sunset at the end of the month, when six planets line up with the moon in the evening sky.
On Saturday, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune will be above the horizon at the same time shortly after sunset. A nearly full moon will also be part of the scene.
But there’s a catch: Not everyone will be able to spot all six. Some planets will sit very low near the horizon, and two are too dim to see without a telescope to help.
Jupiter will be the easiest planet to find. It will shine bright high in the southern sky, not too far from the moon.
Lower in the western sky, several planets will be bunched close to the horizon. Saturn may be the easiest of that group to pick out because it will sit higher than the others. Venus and Mercury will appear close together, but they may be difficult to see once the sky gets fully dark.
The best viewing window for that western group will be about 45 minutes after sunset, before they sink too low.
Uranus and Neptune are too dim to see with the unaided eye, so binoculars or a telescope will be needed to find them.
The alignment will remain a feature of the evening sky into the first nights of March, though Mercury will quickly drop out as it swings closer to the sun from Earth’s perspective.
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