Overview
- Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will appear aligned along the ecliptic, with the best view expected shortly after sunset on February 28.
- Observers are advised to look toward a clear western horizon 30–60 minutes after sunset from dark locations, as the lowest planets will set quickly.
- Under ideal conditions Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and possibly Mercury can be seen with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune are too faint without optical aid.
- Binoculars can reveal Jupiter’s Galilean moons and a small telescope can show Saturn’s rings; a bright waxing gibbous moon may make the faintest targets harder to spot.
- The alignment is a line-of-sight effect rather than a physical clustering, with public viewing events planned such as Dubai Astronomy Group’s Al Qudra Desert session on February 27 and the next comparable evening gathering expected in 2034 after a pre-dawn five-planet event in October 2028.