A rare celestial event, a „smiley face” formed by a triple conjunction, will appear in the morning sky on April 25.
On this day, Venus, Saturn, and the crescent Moon will align in a formation resembling a smile, near the horizon.
If you look at the sky in the early hours of Friday, April 25, you have a chance to witness this phenomenon that appears to be "smiling at you," according to NASA experts, as reported by Live Science.
It's about a rare celestial show, known as a triple conjunction, in which Venus, Saturn, and the Moon will appear close together in the pre-dawn sky, in a triangular formation resembling a smiling face.
According to NASA, the phenomenon can be observed near the eastern horizon, just before sunrise.
Both Venus and Saturn are bright planets, easily visible to the naked eye, but binoculars or a backyard telescope can help distinguish the details of the smiling Moon.
Additionally, you might be lucky to see the planet Mercury under this "bright trio." However, being a smaller planet, it will appear very low in the sky, so it's not guaranteed to be visible from everywhere.
What is a triple conjunction?
In astronomy, a conjunction occurs when two or more celestial bodies appear very close to each other in the night sky. When three objects are involved, we speak of a triple conjunction.
"Venus will be higher above the eastern horizon, Saturn lower, and a thin crescent Moon will be even lower and slightly to the north," explained Brenda Culbertson (NASA) to KSNT TV station.
"The Moon looks like a smile. For some, the triangle formed by these bright objects might appear as a smiling face," Culbertson said.
When and how can you see it?
- This "smiley face" can be observed from anywhere in the world if the sky is clear and visibility is good.
- However, the viewing window is short – the planetary alignment will be complete around 5:30 a.m. (local time) on April 25, with the sun rising approximately an hour later.