Don't miss the crescent moon shining close to Mars on May 31
The moon will appear to skip over Mars between the nights of May 31 and June 1, appearing to grow ever larger ahead of its first quarter phase next week.
Stargazers in the U.S. can find the moon roughly 35 degrees above the western horizon an hour after sunset on May 31, with the stars of the constellations Leo (left) and Cancer (right) shining on either side. Mars will be visible as a bright reddish point of light approximately 7 degrees to the upper left of the sickle moon. Remember, you can judge distances in the night sky using nothing but your outstretched fist: The distance between your thumb and the other side of your clenched fist will take up around 10 degrees of sky, while the width of a single finger accounts for 1 degree.
Aside from the Red Planet, the famous Beehive Cluster of stars will be visible to the lunar disk's lower right near the center of the cosmic crab, represented by the stars of the Cancer constellation. While the Beehive Cluster is visible to the naked eye under dark skies, a pair of 10x50 binoculars will bring out the majesty of the 1,000-strong 'hive' of stars.
The moon is set to make its closest apparent approach to Mars at 6:52 a.m. EDT (1052 GMT) on June 1, at which time the two worlds will be separated by a little over 1 degree in the sky, according to stargazing site in-the-sky.org. This will happen during the day for stargazers in the U.S., while the pair are hidden well below the horizon.
TOP TELESCOPE PICK:
Want to see the planets of our solar system for yourself? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review.
By the time the sun sets on June 1, the moon will have skipped past Mars to appear on the Red Planet's upper left, with a little over 5 degrees separating the two solar system bodies. Regulus, one of the northern hemisphere's brightest stars, will be visible shining to the left of the moon soon after twilight falls. Its crescent form will appear to travel around the bright star as the night unfolds, before eventually setting atop it around midnight local time.
The next night will see the moon appear fuller ahead of its first quarter phase on June 2, at which point half of its disk will be bathed in direct sunlight from the perspective of Earth.
Photographers hoping to capture the wonders of our solar system after sunset should check out our guides on the best cameras and best lenses for astrophotography. Those looking to see the light cast out from distant stars and galaxies should also read up on our roundups of the best binocular and telescopes deals available in 2025.
Editor's Note: If you snap a picture of the moon and Mars and want to share it with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
16 hours ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where Millions Can See International Space Station on Thursday
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Millions of Americans and Canadians will have a chance to see the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday night as it cuts a path across North America. Why It Matters The ISS orbits Earth and houses astronauts and a research laboratory for experiments in microgravity. The ISS is maintained by NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. It travels at about 17,500 mph and completes an orbit around Earth every 90 minutes. What To Know At times, the ISS is visible from the U.S. as it orbits Earth. The next chance Americans will have at sighting the space station will be Thursday night as it cuts from Northwest Canada through parts of the Northeastern U.S. in a span of a few minutes. "The International Space Station is visible because it reflects sunlight—the same reason we can see the Moon," a NASA webpage about the ISS says. "However, unlike the Moon, the space station is not bright enough to see during the day. Viewing opportunities can range from one a month to several a week as the light from the Sun reflects off station as it passes overhead at dawn and dusk at the user's preferred location." No equipment will be needed to view the ISS as it passes over the U.S., as it is visible to the naked eye. Millions of Americans outside the ISS' direct path also will have a chance to see it. A map from AccuWeather shows the planned path of the ISS. Shortly after 9:25 p.m. ET, the ISS will travel from Canada into New York, where it will continue its southeastern path for hardly more than a minute before it exits over the Atlantic Ocean. A map from AccuWeather shows where the ISS will be visible on July 24, 2025. A map from AccuWeather shows where the ISS will be visible on July 24, 2025. AccuWeather The timeline is as follows: 9:22-9:25 p.m. ET: The ISS will be traveling southeast over Ontario, Canada. The ISS will be traveling southeast over Ontario, Canada. 9:25-9:26 p.m. ET: The ISS will travel over Northern New York, Southern Vermont, far Southwestern New Hampshire and through Massachusetts to exit over the Atlantic Ocean. The ISS will travel over Northern New York, Southern Vermont, far Southwestern New Hampshire and through Massachusetts to exit over the Atlantic Ocean. 9:27-9:29 p.m. ET: The ISS will continue its path over the Atlantic Ocean. Anyone within the viewing circle will be able to see the space station if weather conditions are right, meaning millions as far south as Georgia up through Maine and Michigan will have a chance at spotting the ISS. The ISS is bright enough that people can spot it even in large cities with light pollution. However, cloudy conditions could disrupt the viewing in some areas. "It looks like there could be some clouds on the western side of that near the Great Lakes, so Wisconsin, the Toronto area," AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva told Newsweek. "Those areas I'm a little worried there could be some clouds in the way." People further east in Southeastern Ohio, Pennsylvania and Western New York will have the best chance to view the ISS. All ISS viewings occur a few hours before or after sunrise or sunset. The ISS includes six sleeping areas, two bathrooms, a gym and a 360-degree-view bay window, NASA says in a webpage. It orbits earth 16 times in 24 hours, "traveling through 16 sunrises and sunsets." What People Are Saying AccuWeather posted on X on Thursday morning: "The International Space Station [ISS] will fly over the eastern United States and parts of Canada just after sunset on Thursday evening, an easy-to-see event for millions of residents across the region." NASA in a webpage about the ISS: "The acre of solar panels that power the station means sometimes you can look up in the sky at dawn or dusk and see the spaceship flying over your home, even if you live in a big city." What Happens Next NASA suggests people who want a chance to view the ISS when it passes over the U.S. to download Spot the Station, a mobile app that notifies users about potential ISS viewings.
Vogue
16 hours ago
- Vogue
Charli XCX's Post-Wedding Style Is Less Bridal, More Glastonbury
Following her City Hall wedding last weekend, Charli XCX is already back to work. While the singer has a bigger bash scheduled, don't expect her to exhaust bridal whites. Just days after her wedding, Charli traded her Vivienne Westwood minidress for an outfit that could have just as well belonged at Glastonbury. And, in many ways, she took some cues from last month's headlining performance look. For her Day Four set, Charli hit the stage in three multicolored Alexander McQueen skull scarves, rejiggered to make a crop top, which she paired with black leather microshorts, a pair of maroon knee-high boots, and wraparound shades. Joseph Okpako Click News and Media / BACKGRIDUSA Earlier this week, Charli followed a similar outfit formula. She eschewed the scarf top for a black one-shoulder top and draped herself in an ecru pashmina, but stayed loyal to the microshorts in a gray-brown pair with similarly miniature pockets. She also hung onto her knee-high boots, donning a pair of black motos, and wore her large black shades. A noted fan of Anthony Vaccarello, she carried a quilted black Saint Laurent bag. While her style may be leaning more Glasto, Charli XCX still has time to make bridal style bratty before her trip down the aisle.
CBS News
16 hours ago
- CBS News
Maps show U.S. heat advisories, high temperatures as heat dome moves east
The extreme heat that has baked much of the central United States this week is slowly shifting east ahead of the weekend, forecasters said. More than 130 million Americans across at least 20 states are under heat alerts on Thursday. Parts of the Midwest, including the Corn Belt, have felt the high temperatures for multiple days. Temperatures on Thursday are forecast to be 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year with feels-like temperatures over 100 degrees expected in multiple areas. Some parts of the Mississippi Valley will continue to see high temperatures over 90 degrees for a few more days, even as the heat dome moves over parts of the Northeast. A heat dome happens when hot air is trapped over an area due to a persistent high pressure system, William Gallus, a professor of atmospheric science at Iowa State University, said. Heat domes can last for days to weeks and can stretch over multiple states. With extreme heat in the Corn Belt, a region including parts of the Plains and Central Mississippi Valley, a phenomenon known as corn sweat has made the humidity worse, experts said. "There are pores on the bottom side of the leaves," Iowa state climatologist Justin Glisan told CBS News national correspondent Lana Zak. "And that's where oxygen is released, but also water vapor." The process can add up to 10 degrees to the feels-like temperature, Glisan said, because just 1 acre of corn can release as much as 4,000 gallons of water into the air per day. Iowa has around 13 million acres of corn.
