Title: Gaze upon the Crescent Moon and Venus in the Night Sky this Week
Each Monday, I share North America's celestial highlights for the week ahead, suitable for mid-northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere. Dive into my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses, and more!
Weekly Skywatch: Jan. 27 - Feb. 2, 2025
Embrace the cosmos with these stargazing and astronomy suggestions:
- Wednesday, Jan. 29: New Moon
Unveil the new moon's celestial mystery at 7:36 a.m. EST. This lunar phase sees the moon sailing between the Earth and the sun, resulting in a moonless night, making this the optimal moment for stargazing. Surrounding evenings will hold stargazing potential too, with a crescent moon emerging in the west after sunset.
- Thursday, Jan. 30: Slim Crescent Moon Debut
Locate the West after sunset and witness a super-thin, 2.4%-lit crescent moon gracing the sky. You'll require binoculars for this challenge against the light. Wait for the sun's disappearance before scanning for the most meniscus-like crescent moon.
- Friday, Jan. 31: Crescent Moon & Saturn In Meeting
Now lighting up 7% of the sky, the waxing crescent moon is more visible in the West after sunset, joining forces with majestic Saturn. Observe their joint descent into darkness approximately 2 hours following sunset.
- Saturday, Feb. 1: Crescent Moon and Venus In Harmony
Experience the brighter 14%-lit crescent waxing moon in the West just after sunset, neighboring resplendent Venus. Pair them both in their descent into darkness about three hours after sunset. Notice the moon's darkened limb for "Earthshine"- sunlight reflecting from our planet's oceans and ice caps onto the lunar surface.
- Sunday, Feb. 2: Crescent Moon and Earthshine
Observe this month's waxing crescent moon one final time, now 23%-lit and glowing in the Western sky just after sunset. Watch it hovering above Venus, as Venus sinks about three hours after sunset, an hour prior to the moon.
Stargazing Fact of the Week: Groundhog Day
January 27 - February 2, 2025, offers more than just monthly moon phases. The 2nd of February is a celebrated day known as Groundhog Day - a weather forecasting tradition that claims sunny days indicate six more weeks of winter, or an early spring if the day remains cloudy.
Join the curious marriage of stargazing and cultural customs by taking advantage of this annual landmark. Groundhog Day falls on a "cross-quarter day" — marking the halfway point between December's solstice and March's equinox.
On Friday, January 31, the waxing crescent moon with a luminosity of 7% and majestic Saturn can be seen jointly descending into darkness approximately 2 hours after sunset. Engaging in stargazing during this period, viewers can also witness a spectacular sight as the crescent moon meets Venus on Saturday, February 1.
Pairing the 14%-lit crescent waxing moon in the West just after sunset with resplendent Venus, stargazers can observe their descent into darkness about three hours after sunset. The daylight reflection from our planet's oceans and ice caps onto the lunar surface, known as "Earthshine," is visible on the moon's darkened limb.