Friday, August 9, 2024

Crescent Moon Approaches Spica (evening)

As darkness falls on Friday evening, August 9, look in the lower part of the southwestern sky for the pretty, waxing crescent moon shining to the lower right (or celestial northwest) of Virgo's brightest star, Spica. In the Americas, the duo will be close enough to share the view in binoculars. Hours later, the moon?s eastern orbital motion will cause it to pass in front of (or occult) Spica. For observers in parts of northeastern Europe, the west half of Russia, and most of Asia, the event will occur in daylight on Saturday, August 10. Folks across northern Indonesia, southern Japan, and western Micronesia will see the occultation in a dark sky.

(Data courtesy of Starry Night)
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