Charlotte is about to witness a rare celestial event on April 25 as Venus, Saturn, and the moon align to form what skywatchers call a “smiley face” in the sky.
Venus, the brightest of the three, will appear low on the eastern horizon around magnitude -4.43. Saturn will follow about 20 minutes later, rising to the lower right of Venus. A thin waning crescent moon will emerge to Saturn’s left, completing the smiling formation tilted approximately 45 degrees relative to the horizon, according to the BBC.
Venus and Saturn will serve as the “eyes,” while the crescent moon will form the “mouth” of this rare planetary arrangement. While Venus and the moon will be visible without aid, Saturn may be harder to spot due to its lower brightness and proximity to the sun’s glare.
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✔️ Yes, a crescent Moon and two bright planets will appear… pic.twitter.com/ZBrXK9PhB9
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Viewers are urged to take caution and never look directly toward the sun. Observers should find an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon for the best chance of seeing the alignment.
In addition to the planetary smile, Mercury may become visible near the horizon shortly after the moon rises. Though Neptune will also be nearby—about one degree to the right of the moon—it will be far too faint to see without a telescope.
Those with telescopes or binoculars may also catch a glimpse of Earthshine, a phenomenon where sunlight reflected from Earth faintly illuminates the moon’s dark side, revealing surface features not lit directly by the sun.
The cosmic smile is a visual event unique to Earth’s vantage point and cannot be observed from anywhere else in the solar system. Weather permitting, this will be a memorable sight for astronomy enthusiasts across the Carolinas.
