A rare celestial event on Feb. 28 will offer skywatchers the chance to witness a "planet parade" of all seven planets in our solar system outside of Earth.
It's the last time this type of planetary alignment will happen for more than a decade. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will all be visible in some form, although not all to the naked eye.
"Any time you have at least three bright, easy-to-find planets, that’s a good time to go out and enjoy the view," Michael Shanahan, the director of the Liberty Science Center Planetarium in New Jersey, tells TODAY.com.
Here's what to know about the event.
What is the planet parade?
The term "planet parade" isn't a scientific term, but more of an informal way of referring to the phenomenon of planets being able to be seen simultaneously along a line in the sky, according to NASA.
"Alignment means that at this one moment, all of the seven planets can be seen," Shanahan says. "Some will be blazing bright and amazing, while others will require binoculars or a small telescope to see."
Planets are hundreds of thousands of times closer to the Earth than stars, which means we can essentially see planets shifting position while stars appear to be fixed in the same spot. Since the planets all orbit the sun in the same plane, they can look like they are aligned in a row in the sky.
"Think of stars as cars on a really distant freeway where it looks like they're not even moving," Shanahan says. "Planets are more like cars zipping past your doorstep because they are moving in space, and we can see them shifting from one position to the next."
When is the parade of planets?
The best opportunity to potentially see all seven planets is coming up on Feb. 28 around 6:10 p.m. ET, according to Shanahan. Mercury, which is the closest planet to the sun, would be the first to be seen right above the horizon as the sun is setting.
Which are the easiest planets to see?
Three planets in particular should be blazing bright in the sky, starting with Venus. The planet hit its peak brightness on the weekend of Feb. 15 to 16 but still should be easily visible on Feb. 28.
"It's far brighter than any star in the sky from now until about March 7," Shanahan says. "Three blazing planets is pretty special by itself, so people should check that out while we still have Venus hanging around.”
Above Venus, the second-brightest planet should be Jupiter and then high at the top of the sky will be Mars, which should be brighter than it normally is and have a distinctive pinkish color.
Which are the hardest planets to see?
The planets closest and furthest from the sun may either only be seen in a fleeting glimpse or will absolutely require binoculars or a telescope.
"They say that one person in 1,000 ever sees Mercury and knows they’re seeing it," Shanahan says. "You only see it near the sun in the sky when it emerges for a few minutes at sunset or coming up right before dawn."
A big reason Feb. 28 has been pegged as the best chance to view all the planets is because it offers the best chance to see Mercury.
Seeing the distant planets will require some type of optical aid, most likely a telescope.
"In terms of the naked eye, planets that are the hardest to see are of course Neptune and Uranus, which we didn’t even know about until the telescope was invented," Shanahan says.
What's the best way to view the parade of planets?
For optimal viewing, you want to bring binoculars or a telescope, find a dark place and face the western horizon around 6 p.m. ET on Feb. 28.
The best type of spot is one without a horizon cluttered by anything from skyscrapers to treetops.
Look for Saturn and Mercury slightly above where the sun is going down from about 6:10 to 6:30 p.m. ET, Shanahan says.
When is the next parade of planets?
The next time five planets will be visible to the naked eye and all seven planets will be able to be seen is on Sept. 8, 2040, when they will be clustered above the setting sun, according to Shanahan.
What is the next must-see celestial event?
A lunar eclipse where the moon turns dark or blood red is coming up on March 14.
"It's on a Thursday at 1:09 a.m. (ET) and will last for hours," Shanahan said. "It's a beautiful, eerie sight."
The total lunar eclipse will also be viewable by everyone in North America, Central America and South America, weather permitting.
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