Six Plants, One Sky: The Must-See Planetary Alignment of 2025
A planetary alignment, sometimes called a planetary parade, occurs when planets appear to form a straight line from Earth's perspective. While the planets remain separated by millions of miles, their positions along the ecliptic plane create the illusion of alignment. Large alignments involving five or more planets are relatively rare, occurring roughly once every 100 years.
The six-planet alignment will be visible shortly after sunset on January 21, with peak viewing around 6:00pm Pacific Standard Time (PST). The planets will remain visible for approximately two hours, setting by 8:00pm.
For the best experience, head to a location with minimal light pollution and an unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon. Desert areas or elevated spots in the Coachella Valley provide prime viewing conditions.
Venus and Saturn will shine brightly in the southwestern sky, with Jupiter appearing high overhead. Mars will rise in the east, while Neptune and Uranus—though dimmer—can be spotted with binoculars or a telescope.
How Rare is This Alignment?
While smaller alignments of two or three planets occur regularly, alignments of five or six planets are much less frequent. The last six-planet alignment took place on June 3, 2024, with another predicted for August 28, 2024. Events of this scale only happen once or twice per century, making the January 21 alignment a must-see event for astronomy enthusiasts.
Don't forget to step outside, look up, and marvel at the wonders of our solar system as six planets line up in the evening sky. It’s a reminder of the beauty and mystery that lies just beyond our reach.
