A rare parade of planets starts tonight. How to see it in Arizona

We can expect some stunning celestial events in 2025, including the Jan. 13 Wolf Moon and a remarkable planetary parade, where seven planets will align in the night sky, that starts tonight.

A parade of planets occurs when four or more planets appear to line up from our perspective on Earth, though their exact alignment in the solar system is not physically possible.

The 2025 parade of planets starts on Friday, Jan. 10, peaks on Tuesday, Jan. 21 and will last until Friday, Feb. 21. Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Neptune, Saturn and Uranus visible to the naked eye. Mercury will briefly join the parade on Jan. 25, though it’s difficult to spot due to its proximity to the sun.

For all the biggest celestial events of 2025, check out our comprehensive astronomical calendar as well as our guide to all the comets coming our way this year.

Here is everything to know about the planet parade.

What does the parade of planets mean?

The parade of planets is an astronomical phenomenon in which several planets appear aligned or grouped in the night sky from Earth’s perspective.

Although the planets are not physically aligned in space, they form a visually striking configuration along the ecliptic plane, the apparent path of the sun across the sky.

Depending on the number of visible planets, this phenomenon can range from a mini planetary alignment involving three planets to a grand parade showcasing all the solar system’s major planets.

How rare is a planet parade?

The rarity of a planet parade depends on the number of planets involved and their arrangement. Planet parades can be categorized into different types, according to Star Walk:

• Mini planet parade (three planets): This is fairly common, occurring a few times each year.

• Moderate planet parade (four or five planets): Happens approximately every 1 to 2 years.

• Large planet parades (six or seven planets): This is much more rare, occurring roughly every 10 to 20 years.

• Grand alignments (all eight planets): True grand alignments involving all eight planets are extremely rare, occurring once every 100 to 200 years or more.

When was the last time all the planets aligned?

The last time all eight planets aligned was on Dec. 28, 2022, according to Sky and Telescope.org.

A six-planet parade of planets occurred in June 2024.

When can you see the parade of planets?

The parade of planets will begin to take shape on Friday, Jan. 10, as the planets gradually start aligning in the night sky, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

The alignment will peak on Jan. 21, when Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Neptune, Saturn and Uranus will be visible together. The planets will remain visible through the end of February, with the best viewing conditions happening just after sunset.

What will the planet align in 2025?

In 2025, six planets will be in alignment: Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn, according to Live Science.com.

On Jan. 25, Mercury will briefly join the planetary parade, creating a rare lineup of all seven planets visible from Earth. However, spotting Mercury will be challenging due to its small size and proximity to the sun, where its glare hides it from the naked eye.

Where will the Planet Parade be visible?

Most, if not all, locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico should be able to see the planetary parade. In Arizona, look toward the southwestern horizon just after sunset.

Can you see the planet parade without a telescope?

You can see a good deal of the planet parade without a telescope, but visibility depends on the darkness of your location and each planet’s brightness.

Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. Mercury, Uranus and Neptune require a telescope or strong binoculars because they are much dimmer.

For the best viewing, find a dark sky location with minimal light pollution and a clear horizon view.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Parade of planets 2025: How to see the rare alignment tonight