Latest news with #Earthshine
Forbes
18 hours ago
- Science
- Forbes
When To See Friday Evening's Beautiful Newborn Moon
June 26, 2022 - The conjunction of the waning crescent moon with Venus as they were rising low in ... More the northeast dawn sky in southern Alberta, Canada. Earthshine is visible on the dark side of the moon. The sky exhibits the wonderful transition of colours from the orange at the horizon through the spectrum to the blues at top There are few more spectacular sights in nature than the slimmest possible crescent moon, and on Friday, July 25, skywatchers around the world will get a chance to see just that. Just after sunset, as the sky begins to darken, a 2%-lit waxing crescent moon will appear just hours after being in its invisible new phase. Here's how, when and where to see it. Where And When To Look On Friday, the slender crescent moon will appear shortly after sunset and set soon after, which leaves only a short window to catch it before it vanishes in twilight. So head outside immediately after sunset and look to the northwestern horizon. The moon will sit extremely low on the horizon. In perfect conditions, you'll see a delicate, razor-thin curve of moonlight glowing faintly against the dusk sky. Observing Tips To catch the slender sliver of moonlight, your observing location spot will need to give you a completely unobstructed line of sight. Think open fields, high balconies or hilltops — a flat, unobstructed view is essential. You'll also need ideal conditions because any cloud on the horizon will probably block your view. With those in hand, use a pair of binoculars to find the crescent moon. With persistence — and some optical help — the beautiful and rarely seen sight will be yours. The center ring shows the Moon as it revolves around the Earth, as seen from above the north pole. ... More The outer ring shows what we see on the Earth during each corresponding part of the Moon's orbit. Phases of the Moon The moon is always half-lit by the sun, but from the surface of the Earth, it doesn't look that way. That's because the moon is constantly orbiting, getting further from the sun as it waxes to full moon, then closer to it as it wanes to a new moon. Moon-watchers have devised eight distinct phases for our satellite, each of which lasts for about 3.5 days: What's Next In The Night Sky On Saturday, July 26, a slightly brighter, higher waxing crescent moon will shine near Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, the lion. They'll be about two degrees apart in the post-sunset western sky. A few nights later, don't miss the Delta Aquariid and Alpha Capricornid meteor showers peak on July 29/30, which should see a flurry of shooting stars in the pre-dawn sky. For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Celestial kiss: Moon and Mars to dazzle the night sky on June 29
Representative Image Skywatchers are in for a breathtaking treat on Sunday, June 29, as the Moon and Mars come into an unusually close conjunction, appearing just 0.2 degrees apart. This rare alignment, often called a 'celestial kiss,' will be visible to the naked eye and offers one of the most striking planetary sights of the summer. Where to look? Shortly after sunset, look west to catch Mars glowing like a reddish 'cherry' perched just above the slender crescent Moon, which will be about 24% illuminated. For observers in some regions of the Pacific and northern South America, the event becomes even more dramatic: the Moon will briefly occult Mars, completely hiding it from view for around an hour. Representative Image Even without a telescope, this close encounter will be a dazzling spectacle. Those with binoculars or a small telescope will be able to appreciate the detail and contrast between the glowing Moon and the rust-colored planet. But timing is key — the window to view the conjunction lasts only about 45 minutes after sunset, so an unobstructed western horizon is essential for the best view. Earthshine and the moving Moon Adding to the drama is a subtle but beautiful effect known as Earthshine. This ghostly glow on the dark side of the Moon is sunlight reflected off Earth's surface — oceans, clouds, and ice — back onto the Moon. Best seen during the crescent phase, Earthshine will be particularly noticeable on Saturday and Sunday evenings, giving the Moon a delicate, ethereal glow that enhances the overall experience. After this celestial kiss, the Moon will gradually move away from Mars in the nights that follow. By Monday, June 30, the Moon will be about 33% lit and will form a graceful visual lineup with both Mars and the bright star Regulus. Though not as tightly grouped as the night before, the trio will still make for a lovely display in the early evening sky. Representative Image More sky shows ahead If you miss this weekend's conjunction, don't worry — the cosmos has more to offer soon. On August 12, Venus and Jupiter will come within 2.4 degrees of each other just before sunrise. Then, on September 19, Venus and the crescent Moon will pair up again, this time just 0.8 degrees apart, creating another picturesque scene for early risers.
Forbes
22-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
When And Where To See June's Stargazing Highlight On Monday
A crescent Moon with the Pleiades below-right. If you're up early on Monday, June 23, you'll be rewarded with one of the most elegant sights the sky has to offer this month — a slender crescent moon close to a sparkling cluster of stars called the Pleiades. Here's everything you need to know about when and where to see them. Where And When To Look This is a celestial encounter that lacks convenience. To see it, you'll need to head outside about an hour before sunrise and look toward the east-northeast horizon. As the sky lightens into dawn, you'll see a slender 6%-illuminated waning crescent moon. Just above it will be the Pleiades — also known as the Seven Sisters or Messier 45 — barely half a degree away. That's less than the width of an outstretched little finger held against the sky. You'll also see Venus to the right of the pair, shining brilliantly at magnitude -4.1. Monday, June 23: Crescent Moon And The Pleiades What You'll See The moon won't be particularly easy to see at first, thanks to only a slither of it being lit by the sun — you may need binoculars to spot it. If you need help, first find Venus, then look to its lower-left, slightly closer to the horizon. Once you do find it, you may notice its darkened night side softly illuminated by Earthshine — sunlight reflecting off our planet's oceans, clouds and ice caps. Just above it and to the right, the Pleiades will sparkle like glitter, with six or seven stars visible to the naked eye (and many more through binoculars). While the moon is about 238,000 miles away and Venus is about 150 times farther, the stars of the Pleiades lie roughly 444 light-years from Earth. What you won't see is Uranus. Despite it being about halfway between the moon and Venus, it's far too small to see with anything other than a large telescope. Earthshine on the crescent moon. (Photo by Frederic Larson/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) Observing Tips Most people immediately think of a telescope when they think about astronomy. It's not necessary for this event. You'll see much more just by using your naked eyes. However, a pair of binoculars is always useful when stargazing, allowing you to zoom in on the Pleiades and on the Earthshine-lit lunar surface. Choose an observing location with a clear, unobstructed view to the eastern horizon, if possible, away from city lights — though light pollution makes zero difference when observing the planets and the moon. What's Next In The Night Sky The next standout event comes on June 25 with the arrival of a new moon — a prime opportunity to see the Milky Way in all its summer glory. And don't miss June 26, when a young crescent moon will join Mercury in the western post-sunset sky. For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Don't Miss This Weekend's Sky Show — The Moon, Venus And A Star Cluster
Early risers on Sunday, June 22, are in for a pre-dawn treat — a triangular arrangement of the waning crescent moon flanked by Venus and the Pleiades star cluster. The three most beautiful naked-eye sights to be had in the night sky will create a stunning panorama just before sunrise. Here's everything you need to know about when and where to see them. To catch this display, head outside about an hour before sunrise and look east. Venus, unmistakably bright at magnitude -4.2, will be shining beneath a 13%-lit waning crescent moon (over 30 times brighter than Venus). To the left of the pair will be the Pleiades (also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45), one of the closest open clusters of stars to the solar system. Aside from the brilliance of Venus and the dazzling twinkling stars of the Pleiades, look carefully at the moon's darkened portion — its night side. Despite there being no direct sunlight upon it, it is faintly illuminated. That's Earthshine or planet-shine, sunlight reflected from Earth's oceans and clouds onto the moon. It will create a softly lit lunar disk above Venus — a beautiful sight! The entire spectacle is, of course, a line-of-sight illusion — all three objects extremely far from each other. The moon is about 238,000 miles from Earth, Venus about 150 times farther and the Pleiades around 444 light-years away. Forget all about a telescope. It's what everyone immediately thinks of when they think about astronomy, and it's very often completely irrelevant. You just need naked eyes for this sky event, though a pair of binoculars will enhance the view, especially if you want to appreciate the cluster of stars in the Pleiades and get a close-up of Earthshine on the moon. More important is an observing location with a clear, unobstructed view to the eastern or western horizon, if possible away from city lights — though light pollution makes zero difference to the planets and the moon. If you're up for another early outing, Monday, June 23, will see an even slimmer waning crescent moon closer to the Pleiades — just half a degree away — with Venus remaining nearby. For exact timings, use a sunrise and sunset calculator for where you are, Stellarium Web for a sky chart and Night Sky Tonight: Visible Planets at Your Location for positions and rise/set times for planets. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
When And Where To See A Spectacular ‘Smiley Face' In The Sky Tonight
A delicate crescent moon will tonight shine below two bright stars to create the illusion of a 'smiley face.' Although the celestial sight will be a beautiful sight — and an easy one to find in the night sky — the observing window is short. It's an illusion created in the night sky when a crescent moon passes beneath two close stars. In this case, it's a 12%-lit waxing crescent moon — a young moon fresh from its new phase on Monday — now creeping away from the sun's glare and passing two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, in the constellation Gemini. About 45 minutes after sunset, where you are on Thursday, May 29, 2025, is when to head outside, just as a deep twilight takes hold. However, there isn't much time to waste, because, within about 90 minutes, the moon — the "mouth" of the "smiley face" — will sink below the horizon, followed soon after by the '"eyes" castor and Pollux. The action will take place in the north-western sky, as seen from North America. That's just above where the sun will have set about 45 minutes prior. The "smiley face" will sink as you observe it. Besides being the mouth of the "smiley face," a 12%-lit waxing crescent moon is a beautiful sight all on its own. Look away from its bright crescent to the darker side of the moon, and you'll see it subtly lit. That's 'Earthshine,' sunlight reflected onto the moon by Earth's ice caps, clouds and oceans. It's an ethereal sight that can be easily seen with the naked eye but is best viewed through binoculars. It's only visible when the crescent moon is particularly slender. Scientists believe that "Earthshine" is becoming dimmer due to the climate crisis. Pollux (the left-hand "eye") and Castor, the heads of the Gemini twins, are two of the brightest stars in the night sky. About 34 and 51 light-years from the Sun, Pollux is slightly brighter and more orange than Castor, which has a more yellow hue. Pollux is a giant star, while Castor is three stars orbiting each other. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
