Last Six-Planet Alignment of 2025 Today: How to Watch in the US

Today marks the final six-planet alignment of 2025, offering skywatchers across the US a rare celestial spectacle. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and two other planets will line up in the early morning sky, visible just before sunrise. This unique event provides a stunning view for both amateur and seasoned astronomers. Knowing the right time and location is key to witnessing the alignment in its full glory, as such occurrences are uncommon and brief.

On Sunday, August 10, early risers will be treated to a spectacular sight as six planets form a rare alignment in the pre-dawn sky. This will be the final planetary gathering of the year, offering a breathtaking celestial view.

A “planet parade,” the casual term for a planetary alignment, happens when multiple planets cluster on the same side of the Sun at once, according to USA Today. On this day, six planets will align, with Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn shining brightly enough to see without any special equipment in the hour before sunrise.

To catch a glimpse of Uranus and Neptune, skywatchers will need binoculars or a telescope. The best viewing will be on the eastern horizon, with Mercury appearing shortly before the Sun rises near the Cancer constellation. National World suggests beginning the search roughly an hour before sunrise for the best chance of spotting them.

For those in the U.S., Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will be visible without a telescope, while Uranus and Neptune will require one. In New Jersey, for instance, sunrise on August 10 will be around 6 a.m., making the hour before the prime viewing window. Mercury will emerge close to the Sun in Cancer, while Jupiter and Venus will be slightly higher and positioned to its right. Uranus and Neptune will be further away, best observed through optical aids, with Saturn nearby and easily recognized by its steady yellowish glow.

On August 12, Jupiter and Venus will appear side-by-side in their closest pairing of the year, an event known as a conjunction. From the eastern horizon, Uranus will be the highest in the sky, Neptune will sit below it, and Saturn will be nearby. According to Starwalk, during the conjunction, Venus and Jupiter will be so close together they could be covered with a fingertip held at arm’s length. Uranus will be positioned in Taurus, while Neptune and Saturn will be located in Pisces.

Planetary alignments happen because the planets orbit the Sun at varying speeds. Occasionally, they seem to “line up” from Earth’s perspective as they travel along the same orbital path, called the ecliptic, NASA explains. However, the pattern is short-lived since each planet moves at a different rate.

The next alignment of this type will occur on February 28, 2026, when Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter will once again appear together in the sky. In the northern hemisphere on August 10, Neptune and Saturn will be visible to the southwest at about 40 degrees above the horizon, Uranus to the southeast at roughly 55 degrees, followed by the other planets spread across the morning sky.

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Source: economictimes‍