Overview

• Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye while Uranus and Neptune require binoculars or a small telescope.
• Stargazers should look east roughly two hours to 45 minutes before sunrise (around 4–6 a.m. local) to capture the full lineup before Mercury slips into solar glare around August 21.
• A slim crescent Moon will drift through the formation, passing very close to Venus on August 20.
• Clear, dark horizons with minimal light pollution and cloud-free weather are essential for spotting the faintest planets in this fleeting display.
• This August event concludes a year of rare multi-planet alignments following six-planet and seven-planet parades in January and February 2025.