Astronomers dispelled the myth: there will be no planetary parade in August, but it's still worth looking at the sky.

      Astronomer and head of the methodological support department at the Moscow Planetarium Lyudmila Koshman explains that a true planetary parade is an extremely rare event when planets line up on one side of the Sun within a narrow sector of the sky. Such alignment occurs once in millions of years. Everything we see now is simply a visual grouping of planets in the morning sky, with a spread of dozens of degrees. This is reported by Gazeta.ru.

      As the astronomer clarifies, in August 2025, six planets—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—are indeed observable on one side of the Sun. However, they are not lined up but spread across the sky, so calling this a parade is inaccurate, although it is still worth viewing.

      The next "big" planetary parade is expected only on September 8, 2040. On that day, five planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—will be visible within 20 degrees of the sunset sky. A growing crescent Moon will also join them.

      The last "small parade" occurred in February 2025, but it was almost invisible: only Venus could be discerned among the four planets; the others were lost in the Sun’s rays.

      Nevertheless, the August sky can still delight astronomy enthusiasts. According to specialists:

      - In early August, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will be visible from the evening (the latter two only through a telescope).

      - In the early morning, Venus and Jupiter will appear—the brightest objects.

      - Mercury will rise closer to August 19 and can be seen at dawn low on the horizon.

      Observations of Uranus and Neptune will require a telescope with a magnification of 50 to 150 times. The other planets are visible to the naked eye in clear weather.

      Astronomers recommend heading out of the city: away from artificial lights, the sky is darker, and stars and planets are much more visible. Venus—the "morning star"—as well as Jupiter and Saturn, will look particularly spectacular.