Earth’s satellite and the Red Planet offer a picturesque view amid the stars of Virgo for a few hours after sunset tonight.
The Moon and Mars sink together in the west after sunset. To their upper left is the double star Porrima, worth a look in your scope. Credit: Stellarium/USGS/Celestia/Clementine
- At 4 P.M. EDT, the Moon will pass 1.3° south of Mars, appearing horizontally aligned with it post-sunset. The pair will reach a height of 15° in the western sky by 9 P.M. local daylight time, remaining visible for approximately two hours.
- Mars will exhibit a magnitude of 1.6 with an apparent disk size of 4”, limiting surface detail visibility through telescopes. The Moon, a roughly 20%-illuminated crescent, will be a prominent feature, displaying Mare Crisium and several craters within it (Picard, Pierce, and Swift).
- The double star Porrima (Gamma Virginis), with a separation of 3”, will be observable to the upper left of the Moon and Mars. The Moon will pass significantly below Porrima the following day.
- Provided times for sunrise (5:55 A.M.), sunset (8:17 P.M.), moonrise (9:57 A.M.), and moonset (10:24 P.M.) are based on 40° N 90° W coordinates. The Moon’s illumination percentage (16%) is reported for 12 P.M. local time at the same location.
The Moon passes 1.3° south of Mars at 4 P.M. EDT and sits horizontally in line with the Red Planet after sunset this evening. By 9 P.M. local daylight time, the pair is 15° high in the west, both now in Virgo the Maiden. They are visible for about two hours, setting shortly before 10:30 P.M. local daylight time.
Mars shines at magnitude 1.6, its disk spanning 4” through a telescope. Unfortunately, its small size precludes viewing much detail on the surface. But much closer and larger in the sky, the Moon is a nearly 20-percent-lit crescent tonight, with its eastern limb bathed in light as sunrise slowly crosses the lunar nearside. Look for the large, circular Mare Crisium in the lunar northeast, whose flat, dark floor stands out in stark contrast with the rougher, lighter surroundings. Its floor is pocked with a few smaller craters — there are three, standing roughly in a line near the mare’s western rim. These are (from largest to smallest and south to north) Picard, Pierce, and Swift.
While you’ve got your telescope out, glance to the upper left of the Moon and Mars as the sky grows dark. Third-magnitude Porrima, also cataloged as Gamma (γ) Virginis, is a lovely double star separated by some 3”. Although Porrima is sometimes occulted by the Moon, tomorrow our satellite will pass well below it in the sky, standing about 5.5° to Porrima’s lower left by evening.
Sunrise: 5:55 A.M.
Sunset: 8:17 P.M.
Moonrise: 9:57 A.M.
Moonset: 10:24 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (16%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column.
