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Forbes
5 days ago
- Science
- Forbes
How To See Monday's Rare Moon-Mars Conjunction — Then ‘Shooting Stars'
Skywatchers across the globe can witness a stunning conjunction of the moon and Mars shortly after sunset on Monday, July 28. Visible low in the west, the striking pair will be visible during twilight in the western sky before setting a few hours later. That evening, shooting stars are expected as both the Southern delta Aquariids and the alpha Capricornids meteor showers peak. Close up earth view with moon and mars in view getty The conjunction of the moon and Mars will be best seen about 45 minutes after sunset and be visible for around an hour before setting in the west. A clear view of the western horizon is recommended. Although it will be easily visible to the naked eye as twilight takes hold, binoculars will make it easier to scan the sky. The moon will be below and slightly to the left of Mars. The waxing crescent moon will be 19%-illuminated, with its night side bathed in Earthshine — sunlight reflected from Earth's ice caps, clouds and oceans onto the lunar surface, Mars won't be at its peak brightness — that happened last January — but its distinct reddish hue will be obvious as it gets darker. Although the conjunction will only be visible for one night, if it's cloudy, it's worth looking again the next night. On Tuesday, July 29, the waxing crescent moon will be 27%-illuminated and still be displaying Earthshine. Instead of being beneath Mars, it will be alongside it. The moon will be on the left and Mars on the right above due west. Observing Mars In 2025 Mars reached opposition on Jan. 16, when it made its closest approach to Earth since 2022. It's been prominent for most of the year and will continue to be visible shortly after sunset for a few months, eventually becoming lost in the sun's glare in late November. Mars will next come to opposition on Feb. 19, 2027. Just hours after observing the moon-Mars conjunction, two meteor showers will peak — the Southern delta Aquariids and the alpha Capricornids. Expect up to 25 shooting stars per hour from the Southern delta Aquariid meteor shower. Although the Alpha Capricornids contribute just five shooting stars per hour at their peak, they tend to include bright and colorful fireballs, according to the American Meteor Society. The Piscis Austrinid meteor shower will peak the previous night, in the early hours of July 28, with about five meteors per hour possible, according to With the crescent moon and Mars setting a few hours after sunset, July 28-29 will be an excellent night for stargazing and looking for shooting stars if the skies are clear. Further Reading Forbes When To See June's 'Strawberry Moon,' The Lowest Full Moon Since 2006 By Jamie Carter Forbes NASA Urges Public To Leave The City As Milky Way Appears — 15 Places To Go By Jamie Carter Forbes Get Ready For The Shortest Day Since Records Began As Earth Spins Faster By Jamie Carter
Forbes
6 days ago
- Science
- Forbes
Don't Miss This Weekend's Sky Show As The Moon Meets Regulus
The beautiful winter skies showing the moon, Venus, and Jupiter This weekend, a beautiful crescent moon will dominate the post-sunset evening sky. On Saturday, July 26, it will shine close to Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo. Here's everything you need to know to see the crescent moon at its brilliant best this weekend. Where And When To Look Be outside shortly after sunset on Saturday and look toward the western horizon. The waxing crescent moon will be low in the sky but relatively easy to see. Just to its right — about two degrees away, or roughly the width of a finger held at arm's length — you'll find the bright, bluish star Regulus shining at magnitude 1.3. What You'll See The crescent moon is just 6%-lit, displaying Earthshine (sunlight reflected by Earth onto the lunar surface) on its dark limb. Regulus will shine steadily nearby. About 79 light-years from the solar system, Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo, often called 'The Lion's Heart.' Saturday, July 26: Waxing Crescent Moon And Regulus Observing Tips Plan to observe soon after sunset because this conjunction will only last about 30–45 minutes before setting. Since both the moon and Regulus will stay low, so seek out a location with a clear and unobstructed view of the western sky. A rooftop, open park, or hilltop will give you the best chance to enjoy this close conjunction before the moon and Regulus set. You won't need any special equipment to enjoy this pairing, though binoculars will give you a great view of Earthshine on the moon. What's Next In The Night Sky Come back the next evening, on Sunday, July 27, and you'll see the crescent moon bulge a little as it approaches Mars. Overnight on July 29-30, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak, offering a pre-dawn display of shooting stars. 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
23-07-2025
- 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.
