All in a row: How to observe the planetary parade at the end of February
The planets in our solar system are currently showing a special constellation. We explain what can be seen in the night sky.
Planetary parade end of February 2026: The graphic shows the approximate position of the planets in the night sky as seen from Earth. The scale is not correct here but has been adjusted for viewing purposes. In the sky, the planets appear as star-like light sources or small dark discs.
(Image: Screenshot StarryNight / Montage heise medien)
- Peter Mein
For some time now, there has been a buzz in the media: “On February 28th, the planets will align,” "A unique event,” "Don't miss it” are the headlines. Six planets are said to be visible in a row at night sky. But what is actually happening at night sky, and what can one really observe?
The astronomical basics
Our solar system consists of a total of eight planets orbiting our sun. Listed from the sun, they are: Mercury, Venus, our Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Most of the planets are visible to the naked eye in the night sky; the last two, Uranus and Neptune, are so faint that a telescope is needed to observe them.
(Image:Â heise medien / KI-modifiziert)
All planets orbit the sun in roughly the same plane. From our observation point – Earth – the sun appears to move in a specific path around the Earth over the course of the year. This is called the ecliptic. All planets seem to follow it. In a planetary parade, several planets appear close together from our viewpoint and are visible together in the night sky. Contrary to some assumptions, they do not line up like beads on a string. They are neither perfectly behind nor next to each other.
