Rare six-planet parade to appear in night sky. Will it be visible in Idaho?
Six planets will soon march across Idaho’s night sky.
The rare planet parade will appear right before the calendars turn to March, according to NASA.
What’s the best time to view the planetary alignment — and will it be visible in Idaho?
Here’s what to know:
When will planet parade appear in the night sky?
While planets are technically always aligned along the ecliptic plane, so-called “planet parades” offer a “special” chance to see several heavenly bodies at the same time, NASA said.
You’ll be able to see Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter shortly after sunset on Saturday, Feb. 28, according to the space agency.
“Four of those planets will be visible to the unaided eye, weather permitting,” NASA said.
The planets “don’t cluster in one place — they stretch across the sky,” astronomy app StarWalk said on its website.
The best viewing window starts about 30 minutes after sunset, according to StarWalk.
The sun will set at 6:32 p.m. in Boise on Saturday, according to online clock Time and Date.
Which planets can I see without a telescope?
While Venus, Saturn and Jupiter should be visible to the naked eye on Saturday, you’ll need a telescope to view Uranus and Neptune because of their distances from Earth, NASA said.
“Mercury can sometimes be harder to spot, too,” due to its proximity to the sun, the space agency said.
“On most nights, weather permitting, you can spot at least one bright planet in the night sky,” NASA public engagement specialist Preston Dyches wrote in February 2025. “While two or three planets are commonly visible in the hours around sunset, occasionally four or five bright planets can be seen simultaneously with the naked eye.”
Those four- or five-planet lineups “typically occur every few years,” NASA said.
The next opportunity to witness this many planets all at once won’t come to Idaho again until October 2028.
Will planetary alignment be visible in Idaho?
The planets may be aligned, but the forecast in the Boise area predicts rain all over this parade.
According to the National Weather Service’’ forecast, Boise residents can expect cloudy skies on Saturday night with a 30% chance of rain.
Sky watchers in Northern Idaho will have a better chance for seeing the parade, according to the weather service.
Coeur D’Alene will be mostly cloudy but rain free on Saturday, the weather agency said.
In Sandpoint, the forecast calls for less cloud coverage is less with no chance for rain, according to the weather service.
What’s in the weather forecast for Boise?
Boise residents will enjoy partly sunny skies on Friday, with a high temperature of 57 degrees before clouds roll in. The overnight low temperature will drop to 33 degrees.
Saturday will be cloudy during the day with a high close to 55, while the overnight low will be 41.
There’s a 30% chance of rain stays on Sunday, when the high will reach 57.
The chance for rain lowers to 20% on Sunday night. The temperature will drop to a low near 38.
