The moon will line up with 3 planets this weekend, and you can see it
Skywatchers across the U.S. are about to be treated to a dazzling weekend filled with not only two active meteor showers, but a celestial alignment starring the moon.
For two nights, Earth's only natural satellite will host a cosmic party with three planets – Mars, Saturn and Uranus.
The phenomenon, often called a planet parade, presents spectators with a rare opportunity to see not only multiple planets, but also the moon, appear close together in the night sky – at least, from Earth's vantage.
The best part of the show? Most of the striking spectacle – with the exception of Uranus – will be visible to the naked eye.
Here's everything to know about the rare sight, as well as when, how and where you can see it across the United States.
Moon to appear in sky with Mars, Saturn, Uranus
The moon will appear in the night sky before sunrise on Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12, NASA said in a monthly skywatching guide.
What is a planet parade?
While the term "planet parade" is not an official astronomy term, it is an unofficial way for astronomers and stargazers to refer to certain celestial events.
The planets in our solar system orbit the sun essentially along a line across the sky in a flat disc-shaped plane called the ecliptic.
Another term for a certain kind of planetary alignment, planet parades are what happens when planets line up along the ecliptic in a straight line and appear to us on Earth to be marching across the night sky, according to NASA. So, while planetary alignments themselves aren't special, it is notable to have an opportunity to observe multiple planets at once.
How full will the moon be? What to know about lunar phase
During the celestial alignment, the moon will be entering a waning crescent phase before we have a new moon, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. That means Earth's only natural satellite is getting less and less full and bright each night as its crescent gets thinner and thinner, NASA explains.
That's good news for stargazers, as the moon will still be visible without outshining the planets nearby.
Where, how can you see moon, planet parade?
Look toward the eastern sky to catch the cosmic lineup in the early morning.
While the moon will of course be the easiest to locate, Mars will look like a small reddish point of light, while Saturn is also bright and easy to spot, NASA explained in a video.
Do you need a telescope to see celestial alignment?
Mars and Saturn are among the five planets in our solar system visible without optical aid – along with Mercury, Venus and Jupiter. Telescopes certainly will enhance the view but spectators don't need any equipment to spot those planets joining the moon in the pre-dawn sky.
As for Uranus, the planet is typically not as bright – despite being the third largest in our solar system – and will require a telescope to see, NASA said.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The moon will line up with 3 planets this weekend, and you can see it
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 10:36 AM.