Six planets to line up in California night sky. How to see parade, snow moon
California stargazers can soon witness a parade of six planets glowing in the night sky at the same time.
In February, skywatchers can also glimpse a full snow moon.
Parts of Earth can see an annular solar eclipse.
Here’s what to know about the upcoming celestial happenings:
When to watch February full moon in California
The February full moon occurs on the first day of the month, just ahead of Groundhog Day.
The second full moon of 2026 reaches peak illumination at 2:09 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1, according to online calendar Time and Date.
Why is February’s full moon called the snow moon?
The full moon in February is named the snow moon due to the heavy snowfall that typically occurs at this time of year, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
On average, February is the snowiest month of the year in the United States, according to National Weather Service data.
While meeting with Naudowessie chiefs in the 1760s, Capt. Jonathan Carver wrote that the moon was named after February blizzards “because more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter.”
Other names for the full moon in February include the eagle moon, the black bear moon, the groundhog moon and the hungry moon, according to the almanac.
Will annular solar eclipse be visible in California?
A “ring-of-fire” annular solar eclipse will appear over remote parts of Earth on Tuesday, Feb. 17, according to National Geographic.
During this kind of solar eclipse, the moon will block a majority of the sun’s core, allowing for the “sun’s fiery fringes” to glow around the edges, National Geographic said. It won’t be a full solar eclipse because the moon is too far away from Earth to fully shield the sun.
The full annular eclipse will only be visible in Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean, the travel publication said.
However, people in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, such as Argentina, Chile, Botswana and southern Africa, may be able to view a partial eclipse.
How to view parade of planets in California
California stargazers can observe a parade of six planets in the night sky throughout February, but the best time to see the planetary lineup is on Sunday, Feb. 28, according to NASA.
Just after sunset, Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter will all be visible, but stargazers will need a telescope to glimpse Uranus and Neptune, NASA said.
“It’s an early evening extravaganza,” National Geographic said. “The best view hits soon after dusk.”
Venus, Mercury, and Saturn will be clumped together just above the west horizon, the publication said, before setting an hour after sunset.
Neptune will appear near Saturn, and Jupiter will be visible halfway up the eastern sky.
