Stargazers to See Moon Pass Antares This Weekend

City, State – Stargazers are in for a treat as the waxing gibbous moon will shine close to the red supergiant star Antares just after sunset on Sunday, August 3. Observers should look toward the southwestern horizon approximately 20 degrees above it to catch the celestial pairing.

Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, will appear as a reddish point of light, sitting about 1 degree to the upper left of the moon’s disk. For reference, the tip of your finger held at arm’s length represents roughly 1 degree across the night sky.

As twilight fades into night, Antares will drift near the moon’s northern edge and will finally set just to the right of the moon in the early hours of August 4. This event is particularly noticeable in Southern Hemisphere locations, such as Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands, where the moon will occult Antares after 8:08 p.m. ET on August 3 (0008 GMT August 4).

At a distance of about 550 light-years from Earth, Antares is a massive star that has consumed its hydrogen fuel and now fuses heavier elements to resist gravitational collapse. This fusion will eventually lead to the star’s dramatic demise in a supernova explosion.

The duo will be easily sighted with the naked eye, especially in areas with less light pollution. If you’re using binoculars, you might catch a glimpse of Antares’ different colors, which can range due to atmospheric distortion.

The moon regularly passes near prominent stars, including Antares, meaning that if you miss this event, there will be more opportunities to observe future conjunctions.