This week begins in darkness as Monday's new moon hides our lunar companion from view — but not for long. By Tuesday, a young crescent reappears beside brilliant Jupiter at dusk. On Friday, scan the moon for Mare Crisium, an eye-catching lunar sea. Then on Saturday, the moon sidles up to Mars for a beautiful binocular pairing. From bare-eye wonders to telescopic treats, there's plenty to see under the evening sky.
The moon reaches its new phase at 11:02 p.m. EDT (0302 GMT May 27), vanishing from view as it aligns with the sun. Dark skies ahead make this an ideal time for stargazing.
Spot the delicate crescent moon low to Jupiter's lower right after sunset. With clear skies and binoculars, the duo will shine just above the northwestern horizon — a charming twilight scene.
Look for the dark oval of Mare Crisium framed in the moon's crescent. This 345-mile-wide lunar basin is easy to spot with binoculars or a small telescope. It is located near the eastern edge of the moon, just north of the moon's equator (the up-down red curve in the image above).
The best moon phase to look out for this week will be when the young moon joins Jupiter after sunset on May 27. The slim crescent moon will appear about a fist's diameter to the lower right (or celestial northwest) of Jupiter. The following evening will also offer a beautiful photo opportunity as the slightly fuller crescent moon will climb to shine above Jupiter.
Feeling inspired to take a more in-depth moonlit tour of our rocky companion? Our ultimate guide to observing the moon will help you plan your next skywatching venture, whether it be exploring the lunar seas, mountainous terrain, or the many craters that blanket the landscape. You can also see where astronauts, rovers and landers have ventured with our Apollo landing sites observing guide.
Astrophotographer Greg Meyer has captured a striking cosmic vista featuring the grand design spiral galaxy M81 alongside the nearby 'Cigar Galaxy' (M82), against the faint swirling mass of an integrated flux nebula (IFN). The galaxies are found about 12 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major
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