A rare six-planet alignment is lighting up the sky this week, with Mercury now joining Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in a celestial ‘parade’ that began on August 17. The phenomenon, also known as a planetary alignment, allows multiple planets to be seen at once from Earth.
Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere will need to look just before sunrise for the best view. According to NASA, the planets must rise at least 10 degrees above the horizon to be clearly visible. Mercury’s brief appearance makes the event especially notable, as the planet is usually too close to the Sun to observe.
This will be the final planetary parade of 2025, with a crescent Moon expected to join the display later this month.
Aside from being amazing to look at, planetary alignments such as these are important for scientific research. Curious as to why? Check out this gallery to find out more.