Six planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus—aligned in the pre-dawn sky on February 28, 2025, viewed through a telescope.

Great Planet Parade 2025

Capture 6 Planets with Your Telescope

How to Observe Great Planet Parade 2025 with Telescope

Published on By Telescope Advisor Editorial Team | Last Updated:

Get ready for a celestial treat: on February 28, 2025, the Great Planet Parade will showcase six planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus—in a stunning pre-dawn alignment. With a telescope, you can dive into the details—Jupiter’s stormy bands, Saturn’s majestic rings, and even Uranus’s subtle hue. This guide walks you through how to observe the Great Planet Parade 2025 with a telescope, offering precise setup instructions, viewing schedules, and the best Celestron telescopes to make it unforgettable.

What Makes the Great Planet Parade 2025 Special?

This rare alignment, dubbed the Great Planet Parade, happens when six planets line up across the eastern sky, visible before sunrise on February 28, 2025. It’s a spectacle last seen in this form nearly a decade ago, with Venus and Jupiter shining brightest, flanked by Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Uranus. A telescope reveals what the naked eye misses—planetary features that make this event a stargazer’s dream. Start prepping now with our Telescope Finder Tool.

Benefits of Telescope Viewing

Sure, you can spot Venus and Jupiter without gear, but a telescope elevates the Great Planet Parade to another level. Magnify Jupiter to see its four largest moons, catch Saturn’s rings at their 2025 peak tilt, and glimpse Uranus’s faint blue glow—details that turn a casual glance into a deep-space journey. This alignment deserves more than binoculars; it’s a prime chance to explore with precision.

How to Observe the Great Planet Parade 2025 with Telescope: Step-by-Step

Here’s your roadmap to see all six planets on February 28:

  1. Plan Your Spot: Set up by 4:00 AM local time in an open, dark area facing east—no city lights blocking the view.
  2. Locate Venus First: Equip a 25mm eyepiece and find Venus—blazing bright around 20° above the horizon. It’s your starting point.
  3. Trace the Parade: Shift eastward to Jupiter (15° from Venus), then Mars (red-tinged, close by), Saturn (softer glow), Mercury (low, near dawn), and Uranus (faint, mid-line). Use an app like SkySafari for exact positions.
  4. Enhance the View: Swap to a 10mm eyepiece for close-ups—Jupiter’s storms, Saturn’s rings, or Uranus’s disc. Keep Mercury low-powered due to haze.
  5. Stay Aligned: For tracking mounts, polar-align to Polaris first.
  6. Watch the Clock: Aim for 4:30–5:30 AM local time, before sunrise dims the show.

Viewing Times Across Regions

Sync your session with these February 28, 2025, windows:

  • Eastern Time (ET): 4:30–5:30 AM, sunrise ~6:30 AM.
  • Central Time (CT): 3:30–4:30 AM, sunrise ~5:30 AM.
  • Pacific Time (PT): 2:30–3:30 AM, sunrise ~4:30 AM.
  • UTC/GMT: 9:30–10:30 AM, sunrise varies by location.

Sunrise cuts off Mercury—start early to catch the full lineup.

Top Celestron Telescopes for the Great Planet Parade 2025

These Celestron models are perfect for February 28:

  • Celestron NexStar 6SE

    6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain, auto-alignment, ideal for Jupiter and Saturn details.

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  • Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ

    5.1-inch Newtonian reflector, wide field for parade scanning, budget-friendly.

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  • Celestron Advanced VX 8" EdgeHD

    8-inch EdgeHD optics, precise tracking, sharp planetary views.

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  • Celestron NexStar 8SE

    8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain, GoTo mount for easy planet hopping.

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  • Unistellar eVscope 2

    Smart telescope, auto-locates planets, perfect for beginners.

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Need more options? Dive into our Best Telescopes for Beginners.

Pro Tips for February 28 Success

Ensure a stellar night with these pointers:

  • Escape Lights: Find a rural spot—urban glare hides Mercury and Uranus.
  • Weather Watch: February clouds can spoil it—check forecasts early.
  • Stay Warm: Bundle up for chilly pre-dawn hours; bring a thermos.
  • Snap Photos: Attach a smartphone for quick shots—see our astrophotography tips.

Planetary Highlights on February 28

Each planet offers a unique telescope view:

  • Mercury: Small and faint, low in the east—near sunrise.
  • Venus: Dazzling, showing a crescent shape.
  • Mars: Red glow, with possible ice caps in clear skies.
  • Jupiter: Bold stripes and up to four moons.
  • Saturn: Rings at peak tilt, a breathtaking sight.
  • Uranus: Subtle blue-green disc, a rare catch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best time to see the Great Planet Parade 2025?

Between 4:30–5:30 AM local time on February 28, before dawn breaks.

Can a beginner telescope handle this?

Yes—the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ is affordable and effective for wide views.

Will all six planets fit in one view?

No—they span the sky. Start with Venus and pan across.

Excited for this planetary lineup? Let us know how it goes at Contact Us!

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