Don’t Miss The Evening Sky’s Planetary Parade February 28th

If you’ve been looking for a reason to step outside on a chilly February evening, this might be it.

A pretty incredible sky event is happening on February 28, 2026, and it’s something you don’t need any special equipment to enjoy. Well, at least not for most of it.

A PLANETARY PARADE IS HEADED YOUR WAY

Astronomers are calling it a “planetary parade,” and honestly, that’s a perfect way to describe it. Six planets, including Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune, will all line up across our evening sky. While planetary alignments do happen from time to time, it’s not every day you get this many visible at once, especially during hours when most of us are still awake and able to enjoy it!  But this time, it is!

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Here’s the really cool part for us in Central Minnesota: this is an evening show, not one of those middle-of-the-night or pre-dawn events that require setting an alarm you’ll regret later.

BEST VIEWING IS DURING HOURS WHEN MOST OF US ARE AWAKE FOR ONCE!

For those of us around St. Cloud and the surrounding area, sunset on February 28 will be right around 5:50 PM. That means your best viewing window will begin about 30 minutes later, so plan to head outside around 6:20 to 6:30 PM. That first hour after sunset is going to be your sweet spot, especially if you’re hoping to catch all of the planets in one go.

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PERFECT TIMING MATTERS ON THIS ONE

Timing matters more than you might think. Some of these planets, especially Mercury and Venus, will be very low on the western horizon and will disappear pretty quickly. If you wait too long, you’ll miss them. So don’t turn on the tv and get lost in your favorite program. This is one of those “grab your coat and go now” kind of moments.

WHERE TO LOOK IN THE SKY

When you step outside, start by looking west, right where the sun just went down. That’s where you’ll find Mercury, Venus, and Saturn clustered low in the sky. Venus will be the easiest to spot as it’s incredibly bright and basically impossible to miss. Think of it as your guidepost for finding the others nearby.

A little higher up, you’ll have Saturn, glowing with a softer, steadier light. Mercury will be the trickiest of the visible planets because it sits so low and doesn’t shine as brightly. You’ll need a clear view of the horizon, with no trees or buildings in the way, to have your best shot.

WHERE IS THE BIG ONE?

Now, if you turn your gaze more toward the southeast, you’ll see Jupiter shining brightly higher in the sky. It’s another one that’s easy to pick out, and on this particular night, it’s going to have a little extra help from a nearly full moon nearby, making that part of the sky especially eye-catching.

YOU MIGHT NEED A TELESCOPE FOR THESE

The other two planets, Uranus and Neptune, are part of the lineup, but they’re much fainter. You’ll probably need binoculars or a small telescope to spot them, especially with the moonlight brightening the sky.

What makes this whole event feel a little magical is how the planets stretch across the sky in a gentle arc, following the same path the sun takes throughout the year.

IF THE SKIES ARE CLEAR...LOOK UP

So if the skies are clear on February 28, bundle up, step outside around 6:20 PM, and take a few minutes to look up. Even if you only catch a few of the planets, you’re still witnessing something pretty special. And honestly, in the middle of a Minnesota winter, we’ll take every little bit of wonder we can get.