Planetary Alignment in August: How To See the Last Planetary Parade Of Summer?

On 28 August, just before dawn, six planets will line up in the sky, most of which will be visible from Earth’s naked eye. Here’s how and when to see the planetary alignment this August.

Where And When To See the Planetary Alignment?

The planetary alignment this August will feature six planets – Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn. The planets will appear in a straight line across the night sky just before sunrise.

Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye. However, Mercury will be closer to the horizon and harder to spot. A telescope or binoculars will be necessary to see Neptune and Uranus. 

Each planet will appear in a different part of the sky, so for stargazers, it will be a quest to spot all six planets.

Saturn will be visible with the naked eye in the constellation Aquarius.

Neptune will be located in the nearby constellation Pisces. In the morning, when the other planets rise, Saturn and Neptune will move down to the western horizon.

Uranus will be located in the constellation Taurus. Jupiter and Mars will be visible to the naked eye in the constellation Taurus.

The crescent Moon nearby will lighten up the amazing view.

Mercury will be located in the constellation Leo. It will be visible to the naked eye, but it’s important to spot it before the Sun rises next to it.

Final Summer gift for all stargazers

The upcoming planet alignment at the end of August will be a significant event for all skywatchers and scientists, as it is not only a fascinating celestial display but also offers a valuable opportunity to study the planets of our Solar System and their interconnections. 

This year, August is rich in amazing astronomical events: 

• The Perseid meteor shower peaked
• Jupiter and Mars had an extremely close pair-up – conjunction, which was visible with the naked eye
• Geomagnetic storms that light up skies with auroras
• Beautiful full super blue Moon
• Using binoculars or a telescope, it is possible to observe the Lagoon Nebula all month in the first few hours after dark.

And finally, at the end of August, we are reaching the marvellous event – a six-planet alignment.

What’s Planetary Alignment?

Planetary alignment is an astronomical phenomenon in which two or more planets of the Solar System are on one side of the Sun in a small sector. At the same time, they are more or less close to each other in the celestial sphere. So, the planets appear to line up in the sky, forming a visible alignment from Earth’s perspective. Previously, astronomy enthusiasts were able to observe the planet’s alignment in June this year. 

Planetary alignment or planetary parade?

These two terms are close, but still, there’s a difference.

Planetary alignment is an astronomical term used to describe the event when several planets gather closely on one side of the Sun at the same time.

Planetary parade is a colloquial term that means, in the broadest sense, that several planets are present in the sky in one night.