Barkur, February 28, 2026: The coastal town of Barkur witnessed a rare astronomical moment last evening as residents gathered at Bennekudru to witness one of 2026's most spectacular celestial events — a six-planet parade stretching across the night sky.
Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune aligned in a sweeping arc along the ecliptic, creating a planetary parade that astronomers and NASA describe as genuinely uncommon. While brief groupings of two or three planets occur fairly regularly, a simultaneous appearance of six planets spanning half the solar system is a once-in-several-years phenomenon. The last comparable event — a seven-planet alignment — occurred in early 2025, making tonight's display a standout highlight for 2026 skywatching.
Bringing this extraordinary event to the doorstep of the local community, internationally recognized telescope inventor R. Manohar set up his most powerful binocular telescope near the bridge at Sri Kulamasri Amma Temple, Bennekudru, offering members of the public a rare up-close view of the planetary procession. The event was inaugurated by local entrepreneur Venkataramana Bhandarkars, and organized by Sarale Bettu Ganesh Raj, with Sri Sathish S. Amin, President of the Barkur Mogaveera Samyuktha Sabha, among the dignitaries present.
For observers at the venue, Venus dazzled as the unmissable "evening star," while Jupiter gleamed brightly higher in the sky. Saturn and Mercury appeared closer to the horizon, with Mercury requiring a careful eye against the twilight glow. Uranus and Neptune, too faint for the naked eye, were revealed through Manohar's telescope — drawing gasps of wonder from first-time stargazers.
Astronomy enthusiasts, school students, and local residents turned out in impressive numbers, making the event a resounding success. For many young students in particular, it was their first glimpse of distant planets — a memory likely to stay with them long after the planets themselves faded from view.
