Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn, Venus, Uranus, and Neptune will align at the end of the month in an extremely rare event. The next time all seven will align will be in 2040.

Astronomers have already spotted six of these planets since January, but on February 28th, Mercury will also join the celestial lineup.

What Does Planetary Alignment Mean?

As the planets in our solar system orbit the sun, they occasionally align in space, according to NASA.

The term “planetary alignment” refers to visible alignments with other planets, the moon, or bright stars. When this happens, the planets always appear along a line or an arc, as seen from Earth, adds NASA.

Planet Observation

The planets will be visible with binoculars or a telescope. The website Time and Date offers an interactive tool that allows you to set a specific date and view the times of rise and set for each planet, as well as where they will be visible in the sky. In Athens, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus will be clearly visible on February 28th. Observing Mercury, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will be more challenging.

The Visible Planets in the Sky of Athens on February 28th According to Time and Date:

Additionally, the Stellarium app provides a similar online tool showing the positions of all the planets. Finally, the Sky Tonight app is a free tool that also shows the positions of the planets.