Astronomers suggest using Venus as a guide to locate the rest of the planets in the night sky.

As February draws to a close, sky watchers are in for a celestial treat with seven planets aligning in the night sky. Mercury, Uranus, and Neptune will appear alongside the more prominent Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn. However, astronomers caution that spotting all seven will be a challenge.

Although all seven planets will be visible above the horizon shortly after sunset, Mercury and Saturn will be particularly difficult to see on Thursday and Friday evenings.

“Mercury and Saturn are very close to the sun, making them difficult to distinguish due to the sun’s glare. However, Mercury will rise higher each day, making it easier to spot,” said Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. To improve visibility, she recommended finding a clear view of the western horizon and using binoculars after sunset.

Venus and Jupiter, being the brightest planets, will be easier to identify, while Mars will be distinguishable by its reddish-orange hue. However, Neptune and Uranus are not visible to the naked eye and will require binoculars or a telescope, Schmoll added.

Mercury and Saturn will appear close to the horizon, visible only during twilight after sunset, alongside Venus, said Earth Sky editor Marcy Curran in a recent YouTube video.

“Uranus and Neptune are present, but you’ll need optical aid to see them. Jupiter and Mars, positioned higher in the sky, won’t be visible until darkness sets in,” she explained.

Curran suggested looking for Mercury and Saturn about 30 minutes after sunset on the western horizon, preferably with binoculars.

Emily Elizondo, a doctoral student in physics and astrophysics at Michigan State University, provided further guidance: “Saturn and Mercury will be towards the southwest, while Mars and Jupiter will be in the southeast, with Neptune, Venus, and Uranus in between. Apps using motion-sensing technology can help locate each planet in the sky.”

Uncertain where to look? Start with Venus. It will be the brightest planet, though it will gradually move closer to the horizon each night before vanishing by mid-March. According to NASA, Venus will reappear in the morning sky in April.

Unlike twinkling stars, Venus will shine as a steady bright light high above.

On Friday at 6:58 p.m. ET, as evening twilight fades, the waxing crescent moon—also called the "Cheshire moon" due to its thin, curved shape resembling the Cheshire Cat’s grin from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland—will briefly appear above the western horizon before setting about two minutes later. Mercury will be located a few degrees above the moon, with Venus positioned even higher in the sky, according to Earth Sky.

Through Sunday, the crescent moon, Venus, and Mercury will align in a row.

“Let Venus be your reference point,” Curran advised. “It will be the first to appear due to its brightness and height in the sky. Once you locate Venus, look below it towards the horizon for a thin crescent moon and Mercury.”

Jupiter will remain visible high in the southern sky for the next couple of months, while Mars, positioned high in the east, will be observable for three to four more months, said EarthSky contributor John Goss.

If weather conditions obscure the view, the Virtual Telescope Project will broadcast a live stream from its robotic telescopes in Manciano, Italy, under dark skies.

The alignment of these planets occurs due to their orbits around the sun.

“All planets orbit the sun in a flat plane,” Schmoll explained. “From Earth, this plane appears as a curved line stretching from east to west. This is why planets are always seen along this path, and when multiple planets are visible at once, the sky looks especially stunning.”

Usually, planets are scattered along the ecliptic, the plane of their orbits. However, this February, all the planets appear on the same side of the sun from Earth’s viewpoint, making them visible together in the night sky.

“This month is unique because, instead of being spread out, the planets are clustered along a smaller portion of their orbital path, allowing them to appear together at the same time,” said Seth Jacobson, assistant professor in the College of Natural Science’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Michigan State University.