Planet Parade Brightens the Dawn Sky

A pre-dawn alignment of six planets offers a rare skywatching moment with Venus and Jupiter leading the display.

Planet Parade Brightens the Dawn Sky

Six planets will form a pre-dawn parade, with Venus and Jupiter bright in the eastern sky about an hour before sunrise. Saturn rises in the southern sky, while Mercury appears low above the eastern horizon about 45 minutes before dawn. Uranus and Neptune will be in the sky as well, though they are not visible to the naked eye.

The event follows the Venus-Jupiter conjunction seen on August 12. The parade continues with a crescent moon near Venus on August 20, and the next major alignment is planned for October 2028. Jupiter will be brightest on January 10, 2026, while Saturn approaches its opposition on September 21, making it a good target for telescopes.

The planet parade is a reminder that the night sky is a living classroom. It invites ordinary people to observe without expensive gear and shows how orbital motion translates into a human scale moment of wonder.

But weather, light pollution, and urban horizons shape who can see it. Mercury remains a challenge for city viewers, while the outer planets brighten as Saturn approaches opposition. The event also underscores how seasonal windows drive amateur astronomy and community stargazing.

Highlights

The horizon remains a gateway to the universe, inviting curious minds to look up.