Friday will conclude the shortest month of the year. It will also be goodbye for an alignment of planets that has graced the skies since January but reaches its best view on the final day of the month.
A planetary alignment, or "planet parade," will adorn the Alabama night skies just after sundown. Seven planets align Friday when Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus and Saturn are in alignment.
Old-school folks will immediately ask, “What about Pluto?” “You left out Pluto.” Astronomers have reclassified Pluto as a Double Dwarf. It is no longer classified as the ninth planet. It seems strange.
Not all of the planets will be easy to see with the naked eye. A good pair of high-powered binoculars or a telescope will be needed to see Saturn and Neptune, large but faraway planets. They will be the hardest planets to see because they are close to the horizon and the sun. If you can see them, they'll be toward Alabama’s western sky just after the sun sets. Mercury also should be visible in the western part of the sky just after sunset.
You'll have the best chance of viewing the alignment if you find a location free of light pollution and a view of the horizon free of obstructions like trees or tall buildings.
You likely keep seeing posts on social media about the planetary alignment. Claims vary about the rarity of an alignment. It's not especially rare for a few planets to line up in the sky, but when you see four or five planets at once, it's less common.
According to Starwalk, skywatchers can look forward to more planetary alignments in 2025-2026, but, make no mistake, February 28, 2025 is the acme:
April 17 (four planets): Neptune, Mercury, Saturn and Venus.
Aug. 10 (six planets): Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn.
Feb. 28, 2026 (six planets): Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies show His handywork.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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