Six planets will “parade” across the evening sky Feb. 28

Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter will appear in the sky shortly after sunset on February 28. This artist illustration features those six planets set against a black background. Photo: NASA/Alyssa Lee

PARK CITY, UT — If skies are clear over Park City on Saturday, Feb. 28, skywatchers will have a chance to spot six planets in the evening sky — a lineup often nicknamed a “planetary parade.” NASA lists Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter as visible shortly after sunset that evening.

NASA says four of the six should be visible without a telescope if conditions cooperate, but for the faintest planets, you’ll need a telescope. NASA notes that Uranus is dim and Neptune is much fainter, and that Mercury can also be challenging because it stays close to the horizon in twilight.

What you can see — and what you’ll need gear for

Some of the lineup will be straightforward: NASA identifies Venus and Jupiter as bright, reliable targets for most observers, while Saturn is visible but lower in the sky this month.

For the harder pair, NASA’s skywatching guidance is more specific: Neptune “absolutely requires a telescope,” while Uranus is faint enough that binoculars or a telescope are typically needed to pick it out.

Where to look after sunset

NASA’s February skywatching guide breaks the scene into a few landmarks. In the west-southwest sky, NASA says Venus and Mercury climb upward after sunset, while Saturn drops closer to the horizon.

NASA also notes Jupiter will be high in the sky, with Uranus in the southern sky and Neptune near Saturn — though Neptune will require a telescope to see.

Why they appear in a single arc

The “parade” effect doesn’t mean the planets have formed a perfect straight line in space. NASA explains that the planets appear along a sky-line called the ecliptic because the solar system’s planets orbit in a relatively flat plane, and from Earth, that plane projects as an arc across the sky.

What makes nights like Feb. 28 special, NASA notes, is the chance to catch many planets at once — including quick-hitting Mercury — in a single sweep of the evening sky.

Practical viewing tips that matter

NASA emphasizes that how high an object sits above the horizon can make or break visibility: the lower it is, the more atmosphere you’re looking through, and the easier it is for terrain, trees, and buildings to block your view.

So pick a spot with a clear view toward the west and southwest, step outside shortly after sunset, and count what you can — bright Venus and Jupiter first, then the more elusive planets as the sky darkens.