Planets on parade

Skywatchers in the Shenandoah Valley will want to look up Saturday night.

A rare six planet alignment will be visible shortly after sunset on February 28th.

Sunset in Virginia is expected around 5:55 p.m., with the best viewing between 6:25 and 6:55 p.m.

Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune will appear lined up across the evening sky.

Venus and Jupiter will shine brightest and can be seen with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars or a telescope.

Clear western skies will offer the best view.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here. 

Planetary parade marches on

Stargazers and early morning commuters may have seen the planetary parade this morning around 5 am.

The celestial event occurs when Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune align from our perspective on Earth.

This occurrence was difficult to spot with the naked eye as the alignment took place while the sun was rising, but Saturn and Mars were the easiest to spot without a telescope or binoculars.

This alignment of six planets is rare, but we will see it again on August 28th and on January 8th, 2025.

A full planetary parade happens just once every 300 billion years.

This morning’s celestial alignment is the third event for space enthusiasts in the area following the recent solar eclipse and rare sightings of the northern lights across the continental US.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.