7 planets will align Friday: What to know about seeing the "planet parade" in Wisconsin
Wisconsin astronomy enthusiasts should keep their eyes in the sky Friday night. Seven planets will be aligning and you might be able to see some without a telescope.
Planetary alignments occur when several planets gather closely on one side of the sun simultaneously, according to astronomy app Starwalk.
This latest planetary alignment — or "planet parade" — will take place in the night sky just after dusk on Friday, BBC's SkyatNightMagazine says. Similar alignments took place last June and in January.
Here's what to know about your chances of seeing the "planet parade" in Wisconsin:
The next planetary alignment will be on Friday, Feb. 28, according to SkyatNightMagazine.
Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars will align in this "planet parade," according to StarWalk.
Four of these planets have remained largely visible in the night sky throughout February:
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus and Neptune have also been in the sky, but they won't appear as bright Friday and will only be visible with a telescope, according to NASA.
To view the alignment, you should find a place with a clear view of the horizon far away from light pollution, StarWalk says. The planets will be observable for a few hours after it gets dark.
However, it may be difficult to see them — and not all will be visible to the naked eye, according to NASA.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are typically visible without an optical aid, NASA says, but it depends on their positioning and whether there are obstructions.
In particular, Mercury and Saturn will be low in the sky for this alignment, which will make both too faint for most observers to see.
More: A seven-planet alignment happens in late-February, but it could be tricky to see it
Two more planetary alignments are anticipated for the rest of 2025, Starwalk says:
Thursday, April 17: Neptune, Mercury, Saturn and Venus will align
Sunday, Aug. 10: Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn will align
The last time all of the planets aligned was on April 8, 2024, according to Starwalk. The alignment was visible during the total solar eclipse in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Here's a list of Wisconsin spots that could offer some of the best views of Friday's planet parade:
Newport State Park, Ellison Bay
Driftless Region, Wisconsin
Harrington Beach State Park, Belgium
Kettle Moraine State Forest, Eagle
Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan
Parnell Tower, Plymouth
Janet Loehrke and Maia Pandey contributed to this report.
More: A total lunar eclipse is coming in March. Will Wisconsinites be able to see it?
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: When and how to watch Friday's "planet parade" in Wisconsin
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