The Planets are Aligned

The Planets are Aligned

August 12, 2026, is shaping up to be one of the best sky watching nights of the decade.

The planets and stars are aligned:

• the Perseid meteor shower peaks
•  there is a new moon,
• six-planet parade in the pre-dawn sky. It’s worth noting that a “planet parade” is an apparent lineup from Earth’s perspective rather than the planets forming a straight line in space.

Best time on Hornby Island

• 4:15 a.m. – Arrive and let your eyes adapt.
• 4:30–5:15 a.m. – Best opportunity to see the planetary lineup.
• 5:15–5:45 a.m. – Continue watching as twilight brightens; the brightest planets remain visible while the Perseids can still produce occasional bright meteors.

What you’ll be able to see

With the unaided eye:

• Saturn – high in the south, easy to spot.
• Mars – higher in the eastern sky.
• Mercury – low above the east-northeast horizon.
• Jupiter – extremely low on the eastern horizon and more challenging because dawn is approaching.

With binoculars:

• Uranus becomes visible near Mars.

With a small telescope:

• Neptune can be found, but it is not visible to the naked eye.

Best places on Hornby Island

For this event, the most important factor is an unobstructed eastern horizon and the dark skies of Hornby.

Recommendations, in order:

1. Tribune Bay Beach – The wide sandy beach gives you an excellent view from northeast through southeast. It’s probably the best location on the island. (note:  the day parking lot gate is closed at 9 pm)
2. Little Tribune Bay – Slightly darker and often quieter.
3. Ford Cove shoreline – Very good eastern horizon if you’re near the waterfront.
4. Helliwell Provincial Park meadows – Excellent for meteors because of the dark skies, though some trees may partially block the lowest eastern horizon.

If the forecast is clear, be on location by 4:15 a.m. with:

• a reclining chair,
• binoculars (7×50 or 10×50),
• a thermos of coffee,
• warm clothing (it can feel surprisingly chilly before dawn),
• and a red-light flashlight to preserve your night vision.

It has the potential to be one of the finest astronomical mornings Hornby Island will see in 2026.