How to watch 5 planets align in the night sky on Tuesday

Five planets will align in the night sky on Tuesday evening in a stunning astronomical spectacle. The alignment of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus will be visible starting on Tuesday and mostly continue through Friday, CNN reports.
The planets will appear "kind of like pearls on a necklace," according to Cameron Hummels, a computational astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology. According to experts, Tuesday is the best day to see the sight and binoculars may be necessary, especially to see Mercury and Uranus which are dimmer than the others, per The Associated Press.
The phenomenon can be seen from both the northern and southern hemispheres as long as there are clear skies and a view of the west. Venus will be the easiest planet to see, being the brightest of the bunch. In order to see all five planets, you should look at the sky just after sunset, because Jupiter and Mercury will dip below the horizon just after, according to NASA astronomer Bill Cooke.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Planetary alignments appear every so often, with the last five-planet one occurring last summer and another one coming up in June with different planets, per AP. This one is rare because much of it can be seen with the naked eye even in areas with light pollution. In February, Jupiter and Venus crossed paths in the night sky.
"That's the beauty of these planetary alignments. It doesn't take much" to enjoy, Cooke remarked.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Store closings could accelerate throughout 2025
Under the Radar Major brands like Macy's and Walgreens are continuing to shutter stores
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: February 20, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: February 20, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Scientists report optimal method to boil an egg
Speed Read It takes two temperatures of water to achieve and no fancy gadgets
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Earth's mini-moon was the moon all along
Under the radar More lunar rocks are likely floating in space
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Europe records big leap in renewable energy
Speed Read Solar power overtook coal for the first time
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The moon has been listed as a threatened historic site
Under the radar Human influence has extended to space
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
What is the future of the International Space Station?
In the Spotlight A fiery retirement, launching the era of private space stations
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Blue Origin conducts 1st test flight of massive rocket
Speed Read The Jeff Bezos-founded space company conducted a mostly successful test flight of its 320-foot-tall New Glenn rocket
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
What is Kessler syndrome?
The Explainer Scientists warn that space junk collisions could eventually trap us on Earth
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
US won its war on 'murder hornets,' officials say
Speed Read The announcement comes five years after the hornets were first spotted in the US
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published