A special astronomical event—the alignment of the Moon, the Pleiades, and Venus—will be visible in the western sky on the evening of April 19, according to the Svábhegyi Observatory in a statement to MTI.
According to the announcement, on Sunday, April 19 at 20:11, the approximately two-and-a-half-day-old crescent Moon, illuminated at 7%, will appear right next to the Pleiades (also known as the Seven Sisters star cluster). Below them, Venus (the Evening Star) will shine brightly, making the three-object configuration a striking sight even to the naked eye.
By 20:45, the sky will be dark enough for the fainter stars of the Pleiades to become visible beneath the crescent Moon. At that time, the phenomenon will appear about 17 degrees above the horizon.
For those observing with telescopes, an additional highlight is that the Moon will pass so close to the Pleiades that some of the cluster’s edge stars may be briefly obscured during the evening.
As a prelude to the event, it will also be worth watching the western horizon on Saturday, April 18. At around 20:10, a very thin (just 2% illuminated) “razor-thin” crescent Moon will be visible together with Venus, positioned about 9 degrees above and to the left. Under clear skies, the crescent Moon will be visible to the naked eye, and as darkness falls, the faint “earthshine” on its unlit side may also become noticeable.
Further details about astronomical phenomena and how to observe them can be found on the Svábhegyi Observatory’s Universe News blog.
(MTI)
Picture: illustration.
