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Forbes
16 hours ago
- Science
- Forbes
When To See The Moon And Venus Pair Up On Monday
The waning crescent Moon rising in a wide conjunction with Venus in the pre-dawn sky, over a snowy ... More field. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Early risers on Monday, July 21, will be treated to a striking scene in the eastern sky before sunrise as a slender crescent moon hangs just above brilliant Venus, with the red-orange star Aldebaran completing an equilateral triangle. Aldebaran is the brightest star in the constellation Taurus, the bull, and the eye of the animal. It's surrounded by a V-shape of stars in the night sky called the Hyades, an open cluster of stars, with two stars making a larger V-shape that acts as the horns of Taurus. However, Venus and the moon will, for one morning only, become the horns in an entrancing triangle of light. Where And When To Look The best time to catch the view will be about 45 minutes before sunrise on July 21. Look low in the east, where a 15%-lit waning crescent moon will be just above Venus. To the right of the pair will be Aldebaran, forming a near-perfect triangle. Monday, July 21: A Triangle Of Moon, Venus And Aldebaran What You'll See There will be much to see within and around the triangle. With Venus at magnitude –3.9, it will outshine everything around it except the moon, whose unlit portion will faintly glow with Earthshine — a soft reflection of sunlight bouncing off Earth's oceans and clouds. The Hyades stars around Aldebaran will also be worth making out. So, too, the contrast between Aldebaran's reddish glow and the white brilliance of Venus. While the Pleiades cluster isn't part of the triangle, it will be just above the trio in the eastern sky. Observing Tips You'll need to observe the conjunction from somewhere with a clear line of sight to the eastern horizon and minimal light pollution. No special equipment is needed to enjoy this conjunction, though binoculars will help you appreciate the delicate Earthshine, the Hyades and the Pleiades. What's Next in The Night Sky Just two mornings later, on July 23, a very slender waning crescent moon will rise near Jupiter in deep twilight, low in the east-northeast just before sunrise. It will be the moon's final visible appearance before the new moon. 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
3 days ago
- Science
- Forbes
Don't Miss The Moon Eclipse The ‘Seven Sisters' This Weekend
The waxing crescent Moon in deep evening twilight with stars beginning to appear, with the Moon in ... More Taurus above the Pleiades cluster at right and below the Hyades and Aldebaran above This was March 31, 2017 from Cape Conran, West Cape area, on the Gippsland Coast of Victoria, Australia The Moon looks turned around from what we are used to seeing it in the northern hemisphere in the evening sky This is a stack of 8 exposures, mean combined to smooth noise, for the ground and one exposure for the sky An added Orton Effect gaussian blur layer adds the dreamy soft-focus effect for the ground Taken as part of a 700-frame time-lapse sequence. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VW Pics/UIG via Getty Images) Universal Images Group via Getty Images Early risers in North America are in for a skywatching spectacle on Sunday, July 20, as two of the most beautiful objects in the night sky meet head-on. A waning crescent moon, just 24% lit, will appear to cross directly in front of the Pleiades star cluster (also known as M45 and the 'Seven Sisters') in what astronomers call an occultation, an appulse, or an eclipse. The rare event will be visible before sunrise across the U.S., Canada and parts of Mexico. From other parts of the world, the moon won't pass directly in front of the cluster, but it will still be unusually close. Sunday, July 20: Moon And The Pleiades Stellarium To catch the moon and the Pleiades together, you'll want to be outside between about 2:00 a.m. EDT when the pair rise in the east-northeast and 5:00 a.m. EDT when dawn breaks, according to During the event, the moon will pass in front of the brightest stars of the Pleiades, including Alcyone, the brightest, briefly blocking them before revealing them again. If you observe after about 3:00 a.m. EDT, you'll see Venus will rise below the pair. The entire spectacle is, of course, nothing more than a line-of-sight illusion. While the moon will be about 226,000 miles (364,000 kilometers) distant, the Pleiades is 445 light years. To put that in perspective, light from the moon will take just 1.3 seconds to reach your eyes. In contrast, light from the Pleiades takes 445 years — that's the late 16th century before telescopes were invented. This long exposure picture taken on December 23, 2017 shows the Pleiades, as seen from Bago, ... More Myanmar. (Credit: YE AUNG THU/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images All you need is an alarm clock and a clear view of the east-northeast horizon. The soft glow of the crescent moon in front of the star cluster will be a stunning spectacle — to the naked eye or through binoculars. Get up closer to dawn the following morning, July 21, and you'll see the moon below the Pleiades, making a four-pointed shape with Venus and Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus. Later this month, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak around July 30. 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
23-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
See A Marvelous Mars-Moon Conjunction: The Night Sky This Week
The galactic centre area of the Milky Way in Sagittarius behind the grand old barn near home in ... More southern Alberta, on June 30, 2019. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Each Monday, I pick out North America's celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere). Check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more. The Night Sky This Week: June 23-29, 2025 With solstice out of the way, the evenings lengthen in the Northern Hemisphere. Not much, but just enough to allow some stargazing to be done. That is helped somewhat by the moon, which this week is a beautiful slim crescent in the pre-dawn sky, where it will dazzle with Venus. Meanwhile, in the quiet hours after midnight, the Milky Way begins to look its best. Here's everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy this week: Monday, June 23: Crescent Moon And The Pleiades Monday, June 23: Crescent Moon And The Pleiades A spectacular sight awaits if you have the willpower to get up really early. Look east-northeast from around 3:30 a.m. local time for a slim waning crescent moon rising less than half a degree from the Pleiades open cluster of stars (also known as M45 and the Seven Sisters), with Venus shining brightly close by. Stunning! Thursday, June 26: Crescent Moon, Mercury And Gemini Thursday, June 26: Crescent Moon, Mercury And Gemini About 45 minutes after sunset, scan the west-northwest horizon to find a paper-thin waxing crescent Moon — just 3.4%-lit — alongside Mercury and Gemini's twin stars, Castor and Pollux. Each of the four objects will appear to be a couple of degrees apart. Friday, June 27: Crescent Moon And Mercury Friday, June 27: Crescent Moon And Mercury A slightly plumper crescent moon, now 9%-lit, will this evening shine to the upper-right of tiny Mercury, a planet that is rarely this simple to see. Earthshine — sunlight reflected from clouds and oceans — will be visible on the moon's shadowed side. Saturday, June 28: Moon, Regulus And Mars Saturday, June 28: Moon, Regulus And Mars Another post-sunset viewing of the crescent moon, now 16%-lit and climbing higher into the western sky, will also clock bright star Regulus and the planet Mars. They'll appear a couple of degrees from each other. Sunday, June 29: Moon And Mars In Conjunction Sunday, June 29: Moon And Mars In Conjunction Here's the week's celestial highlight — a very close conjunction of the moon and Mars. During the event, which will take place after sunset in the west, the two solar system objects will appear less than a fifth of a degree apart at their closest. Get everyone outside looking up at this rare and beautiful sight. The galactic core region of the Milky Way over Maskinonge Pond and Sofa Mountain at Waterton Lakes ... More National Park, Alberta on an early June night. (Photo by: Alan Dyer/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Object of the Week: June's Milky Way Though technically visible year-round, the Milky Way begins to impress in late June for Northern Hemisphere sky-watchers. Around midnight, the galaxy's core begins to rise in the south, its billions of stars visible to anyone with clear dark skies (ideally Bortle class 1–3) and the patience to allow their eyes to adapt to the dark (night vision takes at least 20–30 minutes). Ignore your smartphone, use a red flashlight and look — you'll be amazed at how clear it looks and how relaxed you'll become watching our galaxy arc across the night sky. The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
21-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
NASA Urges Public To Leave The City As Milky Way Appears — 15 Places To Go
A panoramic image of the Milky Way over the fromations of the Garden of Eden in Arches National ... More Park, Moab, Utah. (Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) When and where is the best place to see the Milky Way? The bright core of the Milky Way — the biggest and best sight at night — becomes visible in June in the Northern Hemisphere. Since it rises right after dark, NASA is advising people to get away from light pollution to see it arc across the night sky. When To See The Milky Way In 2025 The Milky Way is visible from the Northern Hemisphere all year, but its bright core only emerges in the southern sky after dark in late May and June. This bright core — the center of the galaxy — is the brightest and most impressive part of the Milky Way. It's home to many nebulae and star clusters that look fabulous in binoculars. The season to see the core is generally June through September from north of the equator. That's when the constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius peek above the southern horizon, with the arc of the galaxy seen flowing into them from the Summer Triangle high in the southeast. With the solstice on June 20 this year, regions above about 50 degrees north — such as Canada and the U.K. — experience no absolute darkness, making July a better time to see the Milky Way. However, from anywhere south of that cut-off, such as the U.S. and Europe, late June is a great time to see it. However, whether you'll be able to see it at all is down to light pollution. the milky way over the grand canyon from the north rim Where To See The Milky Way In 2025 The collective brightness of up to 400 billion stars may seem easy to see, but the wonderous sight is blotted out by light pollution. The night sky's brightness increased by between 7% and 10% per year between 2011 and 2022, according to a study published in 2023. Hence this advice from NASA about seeing the Milky Way's core. "It is best observed from dark sky locations far from bright city lights and appears as a faint, cloud-like band arching across the sky toward the south," says Preston Dyches, Public engagement specialist at NASA, in a post. Imaging the Milky Way with a camera (or a newer smartphone, if it has "Night Mode") is a great way of seeing more. "Long-exposure photos make the Milky Way's bright stars and dark dust clouds even clearer," says Dyches. "However you observe it, getting out under the Milky Way in June is a truly remarkable way to connect with the cosmos." The Milky Way galaxy sets over Fajada Mesa at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico Best Places To See The Milky Way In June 2025 Dark rural skies are what you need, which you can find with the help of a light pollution map or by visiting a Dark Sky Place. Here are some of the best places to go in the U.S. and southern Europe: 1. Cherry Springs State Park International Dark Sky Park, Pennsylvania 2. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Maine 3. Gower National Landscape International Dark Sky Community, Wales 4. Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park International Dark Sky Park, Florida 5. Fremont Indian State Park International Dark Sky Park, Utah 6. Morvan Regional Park International Dark Sky Reserve, Saint-Brisson, France 7. Grand Canyon National Park International Dark Sky Park, Arizona 8. Medicine Rocks State Park International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Montana 9. Middle Fork River Forest Preserve International Dark Sky Park, Illinois 10. Chaco Culture National Historical Park International Dark Sky Park, New Mexico 11. Great Basin National Park International Dark Sky Park, California/Nevada 12. Anholt Island International Dark Sky Park, Anholt, Denmark 13. Devils River State Natural Area — Del Norte Unit International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Texas 14. Geauga Observatory Park International Dark Sky Park, Ohio 15. Obed Wild and Scenic River International Dark Sky Park, Tennessee Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
National Geographic
28-05-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
9 celestial events this June's, from a strawberry moon to interstellar clouds
The Milky Way and its core region in constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius, as seen from Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada. Composite Photograph by Alan Dyer, VW Pics/Science Photo Library Whether you're waking up early to spot Venus in the pre-dawn sky, staying up late to peep the Lagoon Nebula, or spending the whole night on the hunt for meteors, June's night sky has something for every stargazer. Here's what to keep an eye out for when you look up this month. (9 must-see night sky events to look forward to in 2025.) Venus at greatest western elongation—June 1 On June 1, Venus will reach its farthest distance west of the sun from the perspective of Earth—a point known as greatest western elongation. This is a particularly good time to get a glimpse at Earth's neighboring planet, as it won't be drowned out by sunlight. In some time zones, the exact timing of this event occurs on May 31, while in others, it's on June 1. But the best time to view Venus is just before dawn, when it rises in the eastern sky in the Northern Hemisphere, or the northeastern sky if you're in the Southern Hemisphere. A "well-placed" globular cluster—June 2 Missed seeing the "well-placed" globular clusters in May? The Great Hercules Cluster, or Messier 13, reaches its highest point in the night sky on June 2, putting it in a prime viewing position. Discovered in 1714 by English astronomer Edmond Halley, for whom the iconic Halley's Comet is named, the Great Hercules Cluster is a collection of more than 100,000 stars densely packed into a glittering, spheroidic shape. While it can be hard to discern with the naked eye, it's easily visible through binoculars. Daytime Arietids meteor shower peak—June 7 As its name implies, the prolific daytime Arietid meteor shower doesn't peak at night, but during the day. That, of course, makes most of the meteors nearly impossible to see. But there's still a chance of spotting shooting stars in the predawn hours on June 7, just before the estimated peak during the daylight hours. And if you want to "see" the daytime activity, visit the NASA Meteor Shower Portal and look for colored dots—those indicate meteors associated with the active meteor shower. The June full moon, known as the Strawberry Moon, rises over St Paul's Cathedral and The Shard in central London on June 22, 2024. Photograph by Peter Macdiarmid, eyevine/Redux The full Strawberry Moon rises behind the Empire State Building in New York City on June 21, 2024. Photograph by Gary Hershorn, Getty Images This month's full moon, known as the "Strawberry Moon," won't take on the red hue of its namesake fruit, but it is lovely nonetheless. The nickname, popularized by the Farmers' Almanac, is derived from Indigenous traditions in North America that link full moons to annual harvesting and hunting events. In June, that's the ripening of wild strawberries. (Learn about the lunar cycle and the origins of each month's full moon name.) Old European nicknames for the June full moon include the Mead or Honey Moon. According to NASA, this might be tied to the honey harvesting that happens during this month—and it could be the inspiration for the modern honeymoon, as ancient traditions called for June weddings. Mars and Regulus meet, and a "well-placed" Butterfly Cluster—June 16 Mars and the bright star Regulus—known for its colorful twinkling—will have a close encounter on June 16, with peak viewing occurring around 90 minutes after sunset. Regulus is a four-star system, as opposed to a single star, but only three of those four individual stars will be visible during this event through the eye of a telescope. Then, around midnight, the Butterfly Cluster will be "well-placed" in the night sky, reaching its highest point above the horizon. To see this butterfly-shaped open cluster of stars, grab a pair of binoculars. The summer Milky Way filling the night sky at Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. The pink glow of the Lagoon Nebula can be seen above the horizon, in the Milky Way galaxy's core. Composite Photograph by Alan Dyer, VW Pics/UIG/Getty Images Star clusters aren't the only "well-placed" celestial objects this month. The Lagoon Nebula, or Messier 8, is a swirling cloud of interstellar gas where stars are born, located some 5,200 light years away. It reaches its highest point in the night sky around midnight on June 22. From mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, the Lagoon Nebula can sometimes be seen with the naked eye under ideal viewing conditions. Otherwise, binoculars or a telescope is the best way to spot them. Prime stargazing conditions—June 25 On this night, there's a new moon lunar cycle, which means the sky will be plenty dark for stargazing. While brighter celestial objects like planets and stars are typically visible through the moon's light pollution, dimmer ones like distant galaxies and nebulae will be easier to see during the new moon, particularly through a telescope. (These are the best stargazing sites in North America.) If you're a photographer, this is the perfect time to try your hand at astrophotography. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Milky Way's galactic core rises high in the night sky throughout the summer, making it a prime focal point. A Bootid meteor seen photographed in June 2018. Photograph by Steve Dudrow, Getty Images The Bootids are a notoriously variable meteor shower, producing astonishing displays of hundreds of shooting stars some years, and just a few other years. If you're willing to try your luck, the meteor shower is expected to peak on June 27. And luck is already on your side—the moon will be barely illuminated as a waxing crescent, so it won't impede your view of fainter shooting stars. Close approach of the moon and Mars—June 30 To close out the month, the waxing crescent moon and Mars will put on a little show. Our celestial neighbors will pass within 1°16' of each other; if you hold your arm out fully toward the moon and stick your pinky finger up, your finger's width is about the distance between the pair, so you'll be able to see them simultaneously through binoculars. Keep an eye out for the "earthshine" phenomenon, where light reflected from Earth makes the unlit part of the crescent moon glow faintly. This most commonly happens just after sunset or right before sunrise.
