Current:Home > NewsThe moon will 'smile' at Venus early Thursday morning. Here's how to see it-InfoLens
The moon will 'smile' at Venus early Thursday morning. Here's how to see it
View Date:2024-12-23 12:19:27
This celestial event is sure to make you smile. In the wee hours of this Thursday morning, the night sky will light up with a unique illusion courtesy of an alignment between Venus and the moon.
A "smile" will appear over the Eastern sky early tomorrow morning as the moon gets up close and personal with Venus, creating the vision of a glowing grin.
This spectacle is made possible by the current status of the moon, which is in its waning crescent phase, the final phase of the moon's monthly cycle before it begins again as a New Moon. When the moon is waning, it means the surface area we are able to see illuminated by the sun is getting smaller; when we are only able to see about 15% of the moon's surface, it appears to us on earth as a slender crescent shape.
This shape is created because we are only able to view the edge of the moon as it's lit by the sun, and the roundness of the lunar body makes this viewable sliver look curved.
While the moon moving through this final phase happens every month, it will be positioned within one degree of Venus, forming a "conjunction," or an event in which two astronomical objects appear close together. The orientation will create the illusion of a smiley face, and the luster of Venus, the third brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon, will make all of this easy to see by the naked eye.
Catch November's meteor shower:A November meteor shower could be spectacular. Here's when to watch and where to look.
How to watch the Venus-moon conjunction
People who want to catch a glimpse of the glowing sky will have to prepare to get up extra early. The phenomenon will be visible in the eastern and south-eastern North American sky staring around 3 a.m. ET and last for about two hours as sunrise approaches.
Because the celestial bodies will be so bright, it will be easy to view the lunar event with nothing but your own two eyes, granted the weather cooperates. However, if you want to get an even more detailed glimpse of the moon's surface, a simple pair of binoculars will suffice if you don't have easy access to a telescope.
Signs of live on Mars? Maybe:Researchers find signs of rivers on Mars, a potential indicator of ancient life
veryGood! (43641)
Related
- At age 44, Rich Hill's baseball odyssey continues - now with Team USA
- An Iceland volcano erupts again but spares the nearby town of Grindavik for now
- Why Instagram's Latest Update Is Giving MySpace Vibes
- Tyler Cameron Debuts Shocking Hair Transformation—And Fans Are Not Accepting This Change
- Auburn surges, while Kansas remains No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll
- She took a ‘ballot selfie.’ Now she’s suing North Carolina elections board for laws that ban it
- Viral video captures bottlenose dolphins rocketing high through the air: Watch
- Ohio woman accused of killing a cat, eating it in front of people
- Footage shows Oklahoma officer throwing 70-year-old to the ground after traffic ticket
- These men went back to prison to make a movie. But this time, 'I can walk out whenever.'
Ranking
- Miami Marlins hiring Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough as manager
- Broncos install Bo Nix as first rookie Week 1 starting QB since John Elway
- Want an EV With 600 Miles of Range? It’s Coming
- State trooper who fatally shot man at hospital was justified in use of deadly force, report says
- Subway rider who helped restrain man in NYC chokehold death says he wanted ex-Marine to ‘let go’
- Too early or not soon enough? Internet reacts to Starbucks dropping Pumpkin Spice Lattes Aug. 22
- Don't want to Google it? These alternative search engines are worth exploring.
- A big Social Security shake-up is coming in 2025. Are you prepared?
Recommendation
-
Pistons' Ausar Thompson cleared to play after missing 8 months with blood clot
-
Arkansas Supreme Court upholds rejection of abortion rights petitions, blocking ballot measure
-
Convicted drug dealer whose sentence was commuted by Trump charged with domestic violence
-
New Starbucks merch drop includes a Stanley cup collab: Here's what to know
-
Summer I Turned Pretty's Gavin Casalegno Marries Girlfriend Cheyanne Casalegno
-
Voting technology firm, conservative outlet seek favorable ruling in 2020 election defamation case
-
AP Week in Pictures: Global
-
Family of Gov. Jim Justice, candidate for US Senate, reaches agreement to avoid hotel foreclosure