Rare Alignment of Six Planets Set to Dazzle UAE Skies on Feb 28

A rare astronomical spectacle is set to grace the evening sky on February 28, when six planets will appear clustered near the western horizon shortly after sunset in an event often referred to as a planetary parade.

During this occurrence, multiple planets will be visible within the same region of the sky, creating the illusion of a close grouping — though they will not form a perfectly straight line. Venus and Jupiter are expected to shine brightly and be easily spotted with the naked eye, while Saturn may also be visible if weather and atmospheric conditions are favourable. Uranus and Neptune, being much dimmer and farther from Earth, will require binoculars or a telescope for viewing.

This phenomenon happens when planets, despite being separated by enormous distances in space, appear close together from Earth due to their positions along their respective orbits. Such events are uncommon and offer skywatchers a unique opportunity to observe multiple planets in a single glance.