When and where to watch the parade of planets on August 10 in Moscow and other cities

On August 10, Russians will be able to observe a rare astronomical phenomenon — a parade of six planets. On this day, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mercury, Uranus and Neptune will line up in one line. At the same time, many "shooting stars" will appear in the sky, as the August parade of planets coincides with the peak activity of the Perseid meteor shower. Izvestia tells us what is remarkable about this event and in which cities to observe it.

The parade of planets on August 10 — about the phenomenon

A parade of planets is an astronomical phenomenon in which several planets of the Solar system are located on one side of the Sun. Each of the celestial bodies moves in its own orbit at a certain speed. Periodically, the planets find themselves in one part of their orbital path, lining up in a conventional line near the sun. Then, in the language of astronomers, there is a planetary alignment.

This is a fairly common phenomenon that can be observed several times a year. However, in reality, the planets are not approaching each other. Alignment occurs only when viewed from Earth, which creates the effect that the celestial bodies are lined up in one line, although not quite straight.

Depending on how many planets line up in a row, astronomers distinguish:

• Mini-alignment: Three planets;
• Minor alignment: four planets;
• Large alignment: five to six planets;
• The great alignment: seven planets.

At the same time, it is almost impossible to see a full parade when all eight planets of the Solar System line up in one sector, sometimes together with Pluto. This is an extremely rare event that happens once every few thousand years. When two planets meet in the sky, this phenomenon is called the convergence or conjunction of planets.

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Which planets are participating in the planet parade on August 10th

There will be a big parade of planets in August 2025. On the morning of August 10, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn will line up in the sky. Throughout August, they will be located on one side of the Sun. This is a rare opportunity to see six planets in the night sky at once. The next such chance will come at the end of February 2026.

The uniqueness of the event is added by the fact that it coincides with a number of other spectacular events. So, on the eve of the August full moon, known as the Sturgeon Moon, and then the Moon, Saturn and Neptune will converge — the planets will be within 3.5 degrees of each other.

In addition, the Perseid peak falls at the same time. At the peak of the starfall, which will come on August 12, the celestial bodies will delight observers with beautiful duets, shining close to each other.

When to watch the parade of planets in August 2025

The parade of planets is best observed in the morning, about an hour before sunrise (on August 10, sunrise is at 04:52 Moscow time). The planets will be visible low above the horizon. Four of them, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury, can be viewed with the naked eye. Binoculars or a small telescope will be needed to observe Uranus and Neptune.

At the same time, the window for observing Mercury, the smallest but closest planet to the Sun, is very short. It will be clearly visible only in the predawn hours.

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Where to watch the parade of planets on August 10, 2025

The August alignment can be observed in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, residents of Moscow, St. Petersburg and many other Russian cities will be able to enjoy the rare phenomenon. But most of all, they live in places with minimal light pollution, such as Altai, the Urals, Siberia and the northern regions.

Residents of large cities are advised to choose areas with an open view and away from the glare of the city. It is also important to keep an eye on the weather, as clouds and precipitation can greatly spoil the picture.

To see how the planets line up in the sky at the desired location, you can use the Planet Walk feature in the free Star Walk 2 app or install the Sky Tonight app.

What to expect from the Planet Parade on August 10th

For a long time, the parade of planets has been of great interest not only to astronomers and observers, but also to astrologers. The latter believe that an astronomical phenomenon promotes the release of large amounts of energy and has a strong effect on living organisms, including humans.

The negative consequences include, first of all, emotional instability and exacerbation of certain diseases. At the same time, it is believed that the energy of celestial bodies gives strength for drastic changes in life. However, there is no scientific evidence for this.

Earlier, Izvestia reported that scientists had detected light from objects older than known galaxies.