Parade Of Planets On Feb. 28: How To See All 7 Planets Align In VA

VIRGINIA — Stargazers in Virginia are in for a treat to close out February as all seven planets in our solar system grace the sky in what’s known as a planetary parade.

Whether you’ll be able to see the spectacle depends on the weather, of course. The National Weather Service forecast for Friday and through the weekend calls for improving viewing conditions. Expect mostly cloudy skies Friday night, partly cloudy skies on Saturday night, with mostly clear skies Sunday night.

These planetary hangouts happen when several planets appear to line up in the night sky at once. They’re not in a straight line, but are close together on one side of the sun. Some of them will be difficult to spot with the naked eye.

Over the coming days, Venus, Mars and Jupiter are visible to the naked eye. A faint Saturn and Mercury are close to the horizon, making them hard to spot. Uranus and Neptune can be glimpsed with binoculars and telescopes. The planets will slowly make their exit through the spring.

If you want to see the planets, go outside on a clear, cloudless night after sunset. The planets will shine brighter than the stars, and Mars will look like a reddish-orange dot. Stargazing apps may help with where to look.

Virginia State Parks has four parks designated as International Dark Sky Parks by the International Dark-Sky Association, so perfect for checking out the eclipse: Staunton River, James River, Natural Bridge and Sky Meadows.

Other spots for star-gazing include: Assateague Island National Seashore, Grayson Highlands State Park, James River State Park, Meadows of Dan, Natural Bridge State Park, Natural Chimneys Park, Rappahannock County Park, and Shenandoah National Park, according to Space Tourism Guide.

Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury will all be shining brightly during the total lunar eclipse, or “blood moon” overnight March 13-14.

• Related: Total Lunar Eclipse Is Coming: When To See The ‘Blood’ Moon

The Associated Press contributed reporting.