Seven planets share night sky in rare 'planetary parade' Friday night. Buradaki/Dreamstime.com

By Jayk Sterkenburg

ASTROLOGY

Rare ‘planetary parade’ occurs with seven planets in view from Medicine Hat

Feb 28, 2025 | 2:44 PM

Seven planets will align in the night sky Friday in an event that is known as a ‘planetary parade’, which will be visible in Medicine Hat.

According to NASA, a parade of four or five planets visible to the naked eye happens every few years.

Six planets were visible in January but only four to the naked eye.

Experts suggest those hoping to see the celestial show should prepare to observe the skies 30 minutes after sunset.

Mercury, Neptune and Saturn will be very low in the western sky, and Venus will appear brightly above them.

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat: April 2-5

Apr 02, 2026

What's On

Top five things to do at the Medicine Hat Public Library in April

Apr 01, 2026

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat: March 27-29

Mar 27, 2026

Jupiter will be in the constellation Taurus high above, with Uranus nearby. Mars will be the highest in the sky, in the constellation Gemini.

James Paulson, secretary treasurer with the Medicine Hat Astronomy Club, recommends that a pair of binoculars or a telescope is used to view the planets.

“It’s going to be more of an arc,” said Paulson. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

Paulson said that the planets won’t necessarily appear as if aligned from earth, but they will all be visible.

“They’re all falling on the line of the ecliptic plane, basically. But that doesn’t mean they’re all in a straight line,” he said.

“It’s going to be more of an arc. So- Venus, Jupiter, and then obviously off to the left would be Mars,” he added.

“So it’d be more of an arc than a line. But in terms of space, it would be considered a line.”

The next time the seven planets will align will be in 2040.

by Jayk Sterkenburg

Rare ‘planetary parade’ occurs with seven planets in view from Medicine Hat

Our Community