Six-Planet Parade Lights Up Western Heavens After Sunset
A rare planetary parade will bring Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Jupiter into the western evening sky after sunset on Feb. 28, with Venus and Mercury near the horizon and Saturn/Neptune nearby; binoculars may help spot Neptune. The Moon will accompany the Beehive Star Cluster that night, and a total lunar eclipse (the “Blood Moon”) is expected on March 3, visible from parts of the western U.S., Pacific, New Zealand, Australia and East Asia. The window to view this alignment is brief and best with a clear, unobstructed western horizon.