This month, Jupiter, Mars and Venus are all shining brightly after dark, with Saturn also visible and two other planets in tow.

Here's when, where and how to see it -- with dates of some must-see planet parades in 2025.

Please don't call it an alignment. Planets orbit the solar system on the same plane. It's the ecliptic -- the sun's path through the sky -- which means planets are always somewhat aligned. Whether you can see them depends on how close they are to the sun, and whether or not they appear in a parade depends on Earth's view of them.

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn are all in the night sky this month. However, it's tricky to see them all together. Look west; as soon as it gets dark, you'll see Venus and Saturn, while Jupiter is in the east. However, Venus will likely have sunk below the horizon by the time Mars appears below Jupiter. Uranus and Neptune are not visible to the naked eye.

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, and Saturn will be visible together in January 2025, with Jan. 21 being a good time to look in the evening. That's when the moon reaches its Last Quarter phase, rising at midnight.

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn will be joined by Mercury in the first week of March 2025, with Mar. 8 a good night to look -- though you should be in position as soon as it gets dark. Mercury, between Saturn and Venus, will sink quickly after. A view of a crescent moon nearby will also be possible that night.