February 2025 is set to deliver an exciting celestial event with five planets visible in the night sky. Following January's spectacle of six planets, February continues the trend, with Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn all visible to the naked eye. This phenomenon, known as a "planet parade" or planetary alignment, is a rare and special event, as these alignments don’t happen every year. Observers can spot at least one planet each day, and in the hours around sunset, two or three planets can commonly be seen in the sky.
 

According to NASA, for most observers to see a planet with the naked eye, it should be at least 10 degrees above the horizon for optimal viewing. Earth's atmosphere near the ground can dim celestial objects, making visibility a challenge when they are lower on the horizon. While Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are the five planets visible without optical aid, Uranus and Neptune can also be spotted—but they require advanced telescopes to observe. Uranus, though bright enough to be seen with good eyesight, is quite faint and needs dark skies for visibility, while Neptune is only observable with a telescope.
 

What makes this planetary parade particularly special is the inclusion of Venus and Mercury. These planets, which orbit closer to the Sun than Earth, have shorter orbits and are visible only for brief periods, either around sunrise or sunset. Venus reaches its greatest elongation when it is visible after sunset or before sunrise, while Mercury is visible for only a few days or weeks at a time. This rare alignment, with five naked-eye planets visible simultaneously, will persist for several days or even weeks, offering sky-watchers a unique opportunity to witness this cosmic event.