Planetary Parade 2025: When and where to watch this astronomical event online for free in India. peppermint

A rare and important event is taking place in space tonight (January 25), as six planets orbiting the sun will line up in a planetary parade.

What is planetary parade?

A planetary parade occurs when multiple planets align in the same area of ​​the sky visible from Earth.

This year, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Venus will align in a beautiful celestial arc, providing a breathtaking sight.

This alignment is a visual phenomenon and is created by the relative positions of the planets in their orbits around the Sun.

“They’re not in a straight line, but they’re quite close together on one side of the sun,” said Hannah Sparks, planetarium supervisor at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Florida.

How to watch Planetary Parade 2025?

To provide the public with the opportunity to witness this rare phenomenon, a number of events have been planned around the world.

On January 25 at 12:30 pm ET (1730 GMT), which is 11:00 am IST, astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project will host a live stream showing a binocular view of all six planets in alignment.

Italy’s Virtual Telescope Project is also offering free webcasts.

This event is important for educational and scientific value. It provides a unique opportunity to see and learn about the movements of the planets, the ecliptic plane and the vastness of our solar system.

Astronomical linkups are quite common and can occur at least every year, depending on the number of planets.

A similar parade took place last June, but only two planets could be seen without any special equipment.

planetary parade 2025 visibility

While the planets can be seen with the naked eye, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope can enhance the viewing experience, especially for details like Jupiter’s moons or Saturn’s rings.

Looking toward the western horizon after sunset, you may see Mercury and Venus, while Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will appear high in the night sky.

During this latest viewing, Mars shines especially brightly because it lies directly in front of the Sun. And on Saturday night, sky-watchers will see Venus and Saturn come very close to each other – just two degrees apart.

Venus and Saturn will shine in the southwestern sky, Jupiter in the southern sky, and Mars in the southeast or east.

The planets will shine brighter than the stars, and Mars will look like a red-orange dot.

People can use mobile astronomy apps to identify planets and their positions.