Skygazers, mark your calendars for the last week of February because one of the most beautiful celestial events will happen again. Six planets will be visible in the night sky at the same time. This phenomenon is known as the planetary fair, and it only happens a few times a year.
This planetary display will include Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Just one planet shy of a complete set, a rarity as well most recently it happened last year, in February 2025. You’ll need a telescope to see everything, especially since most of it will happen at dusk, which will make a few planets difficult to see.
When will the planetarium show take place?
The Northern Hemisphere will get its best glimpse of the planet’s display at sunset during the last week of February. This will be especially challenging for sky watchers because seeing planets with the sun even at low altitudes is very difficult due to light pollution. Your best bet is around 6:45 pm local time, and your window will be very short. Mercury and Venus descend below the horizon about 30 to 45 minutes later, so that’s all the time you’ll have.
The good news is that Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Neptune are all together on the western horizon near sunset. Venus and Mercury will be close together, and Saturn and Neptune will be in close conjunction. That should make all four a little easier to spot, which is a boon for skygazers given the short window.
Jupiter and Uranus will be easy to see and will remain in the sky long after the other four planets have sunk below the horizon. Uranus will move across the southern sky near the constellation Taurus before descending below the western horizon a few hours after midnight. Jupiter will follow a path very similar to Uranus, but it sits in the constellation of Gemini.
Overall, the best days to view the planetarium in the US, Canada and Mexico are in February. 21 to 28. Before Feb. 21, Venus and Mercury will be very close to the sun. Once March begins, Mercury will drift closer to the sun again, sinking below the horizon before it can be easily seen. Once that happens, the show of five planets will continue for a week or so before Neptune and Saturn dip below the horizon, thus ending the show and leaving only Venus, Jupiter and Uranus in the sky.
Will the planetarium show be visible in my area?
Yes. We checked the Stellarium sky map from several locations across the US, Mexico and Canada, and the planetarium show was visible from every location we checked. According to Star Walk, the show will be seen everywhere from Tokyo to London. We also checked the Southern Hemisphere, and it will be visible there as well. Dates vary by location, but most locations should be able to see it sometime between Feb. 21 and Feb. 28.
How can I find different planets in the sky?
The image above gives you a general idea of where they will be in relation to each other, but the best thing to do is check the sky map and plan ahead. We recommend Stellarium Sky Maps for desktop and Stellarium Mobile (Android and iOS) for the phone.
We recommend that you find Venus first because it is the easiest planet to see of the four closest to the sun. You can use the app to find the other three. Jupiter and Uranus are all alone in the night sky and will be there after four more dips below the horizon, so we recommend getting the last ones as they will be longer.
Will I need special equipment to watch the show?
Yes. Since the four planets are close to the sun, it will be difficult to see them with the naked eye, due to light pollution. Uranus and Neptune cannot be seen without a magnifying device of some kind, even in complete darkness. Binoculars are highly recommended. Astronomers suggest a minimum aperture of 8 inches and a magnification of 50 times for best results. That’s strong enough to see the rings of Uranus and Saturn. You need a telescope with about 150 times magnification to peek at the rings on Neptune.
The general tips for viewing space also work. Move away from the city to an area with as little light pollution as possible, since you’re already fighting the sun to see these things. And be very careful not to point your telescope at the sun, because that can damage your eyes. Try to choose a night with as little cloud cover as possible.
The first of three planetary shows in 2026
Planetary shows are rare, but sometimes the universe smiles on Earth. This year will be really good for planetary parades, as there are expected to be three in 2026. February is the first. The other two are scheduled for April (five planets) and August (six planets). That means there are two more chances to see the planetary show in 2026 if you have to miss it in February.
