A Rare Planet Parade Is Headed To Montana

Something that’s always fun to keep up with here in Montana, especially because we have so little light pollution, is anything happening in the night sky. There are very few places I’ve traveled that can compete with Montana when it comes to stargazing. That wide open view overhead is a big reason we proudly wear the nickname Big Sky Country.

If you love celestial events, you will want to mark your calendar for one coming up in this month. It is not something you get a second chance at anytime soon. Miss this one and you will be waiting close to another 15 years before it rolls around again.

On February 28, 2026, a rare planetary parade will line up across the evening sky. The best viewing window will be about 1 hour after the sunset.  So you will not have to stay up all night to enjoy it and you’ll still be warm with this crazy weather we are having.

During this event, six planets will be visible. All of them except Uranus and Neptune, will be visible with the naked eye. If you want to see those, you’ll need some good binoculars or a small telescope.

If you are newer to stargazing, I highly recommend downloading a stargazing app ahead of time. These apps make it much easier to identify what you are looking at and help guide you toward the planets that are harder to spot.

Between the incredible aurora displays Montana has already seen this year and this upcoming planetary event, it is shaping up to be a pretty unforgettable time to look up. Grab a warm jacket, step outside, and enjoy the show.