The air is already buzzing with a certain excitement for the evening of August 12, 2026, when a solar eclipse will darken the European sky (in Italy visible as a partial eclipse, with peaks above 90% coverage in the Northwest). But before the Sun sets on that spectacle, there is another event, less talked about but just as evocative: a parade of six planets will traverse the sky before dawn on the same day. Even if you’re not an early riser, it’s worth setting the alarm to not miss it.
Planetary Parade: How to See It
Just before sunrise, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune will all be above the horizon at the same time, arranged along a wide arc stretching from east to southwest. Don’t expect a perfectly straight line: the term “alignment” describes a perspective effect, because the planets orbit roughly on the same plane as the Sun, but in space they lie at very different distances from each other.
With the naked eye, the easiest to spot will be Mars and Saturn, both high enough in the sky to be clearly visible without any instruments. Mercury and Jupiter, however, will remain very low on the eastern horizon, immersed in the pale light of dawn: to detect them you’ll need a completely clear eastern horizon and good timing, about a half-hour before sunrise. Uranus can be revealed only with binoculars, while Neptune requires a telescope. If you’re not an expert in constellations, a stargazing app can help you tell the planets apart from nearby stars and pinpoint exactly where to aim your gaze.
Let us remind you that what makes August 12, 2026 a special date isn’t only the planetary parade: during the night between August 12 and 13, the Perseid meteor shower will also peak, for a true astronomical marathon from dawn to the small hours, with its highlight in the evening when the sky darkens for the total solar eclipse.
Where to Watch It in Italy
The choice of viewing spot can make a difference if you want to admire the planetary parade. You’ll need an eastern horizon free of buildings, hills, or haze, because it is there, very low on the horizon, that you’ll have the best chance to glimpse Mercury and Jupiter.
Among the most suitable locations, Monte Conero in the Marche region offers an open view of the Adriatic to the east, ideal for not missing even the lowest planets on the horizon. The same goes for the Costa dei Trabocchi in Abruzzo, where the sea clears the view in that direction.
In Sardinia, the coast of the Gulf of Orosei, one of Italy’s darkest skies, faces directly onto the Tyrrhenian Sea to the east and is therefore another ideal observing point. In all these places, the planetary parade could also serve as a pleasant excuse to enjoy a summer sunrise far from the chaos of crowded beaches.
If the sky on the night of the 11th or 12th of August is cloudy, don’t panic: the arrangement of the planets will remain similar in the mornings just before and after, so there are more than enough chances to rise early and look up.
