The Moon, Venus, and Saturn are expected to briefly align into a rare formation resembling a “smiley face” this week, Nasa says.
Skygazers may observe the two planets and the crescent Moon align into a grin that could last about an hour in the early hours of Friday, the American space agency said.
“Find Venus, Saturn, and the crescent moon gathered low in the east as dawn warms the morning sky,” it said in a statement earlier this month.
“Those with a clear view to the horizon might also pick out Mercury looking bright, but very low in the sky,” it said.
Venus is expected to be the higher of the two “eyes”, while Saturn will be the lower, according to Nasa Solar System ambassador Brenda Culbertson.
The thin crescent moon would resemble a smile in the formation.
Since the formation will appear very low in the sky, it might be blocked from view and not visible everywhere, astronomers say.
But with the right viewing conditions, sky watchers anywhere in the world can see the spectacle as opposed to regional sky events like total solar eclipses, they say.
However, the “charming” formation may last only for about an hour around 5.30 am, Nasa says.
“Anyone wanting to try for a glimpse of the conjunction should find a clear eastern horizon from which to observe,” the astronomer told a local US TV station.
If you’ve never seen a meteor in real life, tomorrow night might be your chance! 🌠
— Natural History Museum (@NHM_London) April 21, 2025
Tomorrow, the Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak with 18 meteors expected to be visible per hour!
Let’s look at what a meteor shower is. We’ll even share our tips on how to catch the best… pic.twitter.com/yAQbzKq8Pd
This week would also bring shooting stars as Earth passes through streams of comet dust behind one of the planet’s annual meteor showers.
The Lyrids meteor shower is one of the oldest recorded in history, observed and reported as early as 687 BC.
Its streaks come from the debris left behind by the long-period comet Thatcher which swings by the Sun every 415 years.
It is expected to peak on the morning of Tuesday through Wednesday, with 15 meteors per hour appearing under dark skies.
April is bringing shooting stars 🌠💫
— NASA Langley Research Center (@NASA_Langley) April 2, 2025
The Lyrid meteor shower is set to light up the night! Peaking on April 22–23, the Lyrids offer a celestial spectacle with up to 20 meteors per hour. pic.twitter.com/zvmFQ645Rt
“As day turns to night, you'll realise it should be a good night to see the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower between now and sunrise,” the US national weather service said in a post on X.
While the renowned meteor shower can be best spotted over the northern hemisphere, they may also be seen from south of the equator, astronomers say.
“View them after about 10.30 pm local time until dawn, with the best viewing around 5 am,” Nasa said in a blog post.
“For the best experience, face roughly toward the east, lie down in a safe, dark place away from bright lights, and look straight overhead,” the space agency said.
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