August is set to be a superb month for stargazers. The whole world may not go dark on Aug. 2 as the viral posts on social media would have it, but with the Perseid meteor shower and the full sturgeon moon, it’s set to be a great month to be outside at night. However, the highlight will likely be a “planet parade” (also called a “planetary alignment”) — six planets in the night sky at the same time, but only for those who get their timing spot on. Although the timings are not precise — with your location making a big difference to whether you’ll see tiny Mercury or not — the highlights will be bright Venus, Jupiter and a brightening Saturn.
Here’s everything you need to know about the “planet parade” in August 2025.
Where And When To Look
This planet parade — following on from one in the evening sky in February — will take place in the morning sky. That means you’ll need to get up early to see it.
The dates will vary depending on where you live, but this planet parade will take place between Aug. 10-20 in the eastern sky about an hour before sunrise.
What You’ll See
During the first week, from Aug. 10-17, six planets will reside in the night sky, though only four will be visible — and only three will be easy targets.
Venus and Jupiter will shine very close to each other above due east, with Mercury becoming visible beneath them closer to sunrise. On the morning of Aug. 12, Venus and Jupiter will be in conjunction, appearing 0.9 degrees apart. Saturn will be high in the south, with Neptune just above it (though not visible). Uranus will be high in the southeast (also not visible).
From Aug. 17-20, the waning crescent moon will move past the planets, getting slimmer each day, with the highlight on Aug. 20 when a 9%-lit crescent moon will appear next to Venus.
Observing Tips
You don’t need anything but your naked eyes to see this “planet parade.” A large telescope is required to see Uranus and Neptune. However, since Mercury will be rising in the east, it will likely be harder to see in the haze of the horizon, so a pair of binoculars may make it easier (it will appear as a reddish dot). However, do be sure to stop using binoculars before sunrise because pointing them at the sun is very dangerous.
What’s Next In The Night Sky
August is a perfect month for stargazing, with warm evenings and more hours of darkness than July. The highlight is the Perseid meteor shower on Aug. 12-13, though its rates of meteors will dip significantly this year because of a bright moon. The best time in August to go stargazing will be between Aug. 16-26, when bright moonlight won’t be a factor. That’s the best time to see August’s true sky highlight — the Milky Way. You’ll need to be in a dark sky destination — by using a light pollution map or staying overnight in an International Dark Sky Place. Look southeast as soon as it gets dark; the Milky Way streams through the Summer Triangle stars down to the galactic core near the constellations Scorpius and Sagittarius in the south.
For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
