august 2026

Imagine being able to see multiple planets at once in the sky…
Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune will put on an incredible display in alignment on August 12th!

The best time to witness this planetary spectacle will be before sunrise. Find a location where you can look towards the eastern horizon, and scan across the entire direction to the southwestern horizon (Northern Hemisphere).

All six planets will be visible, but not equally!
You shouldn’t have difficulty observing Mars and Saturn; they will be visible with the naked eye.
Mercury and Jupiter will be more difficult to observe, due to their position lower on the horizon and also because their brightness will be affected by the approaching sunlight. Therefore, you’ll need to be patient.
Uranus and Neptune will require the use of binoculars or a telescope.

Fun Fact: The next complete planetary alignment will occur on May 6th, 2492.

Get to know all the astro events of august here!