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Moon approaches Saturn and Mars this week and also reaches perihelion, the closest point to the Sun in its orbit.
The Moon begins this week a sequence of astronomical events that can be observed during the early morning. Between Wednesday (13) and Friday (15), Earth’s natural satellite will pass close to Saturn and Mars in phenomena known as astronomical conjunctions. In addition, it will also reach lunar perihelion, the moment it is closest to the Sun in its spatial trajectory. The events will occur at specific times and can be seen without the use of telescopes or binoculars.
According to information from the astronomical guide InTheSky.org, the first encounter will be between the Moon and Saturn. The conjunction officially occurs at 6:58 PM on Wednesday (13), Brasília time. At this moment, the two celestial bodies will be below the horizon line and cannot be observed from Earth.
Even so, those who wake up before dawn on Thursday (14) will be able to follow the celestial bodies close in the sky. They will appear around 3:20 AM and remain visible until approximately 6 AM, shortly before sunrise.
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Moon and Saturn can be seen close in the sky
Although they are relatively close visually, the Moon and Saturn will not fit together in the field of view of telescopes or binoculars. Still, observation will be facilitated by the brightness of the two objects, making it possible to see them with the naked eye.
On the occasion, the Moon will be located in the constellation Pisces, with a magnitude of -10.4. Saturn, in turn, will appear in the constellation Cetus, with a magnitude of 0.7.
In astronomy, magnitude indicates the apparent brightness of a celestial body. The smaller the number, the greater the brightness perceived in the sky. For comparison, the Sun has an apparent magnitude of -27, being the most luminous object seen from Earth.
Moon’s encounter with Mars will require attention to the time
A few hours after its approach with Saturn, the Moon will have a new astronomical engagement. At 9:45 PM on Thursday (14), the conjunction with Mars will occur.
As with the previous phenomenon, the official alignment will happen below the horizon line. Therefore, the best time for observation will only be in the following early morning.
Those wishing to follow the encounter should look towards the east between 4:30 AM and 5:55 AM on Friday (15). According to the information released, it will also not be necessary to use optical equipment.
During this period:
- The Moon will have a magnitude of -9.5
- Mars will have a magnitude of 1.2
- Both will appear in the constellation Pisces
Another factor that may hinder visualization is the current phase of the Moon. The satellite is waning, showing only a thin illuminated strip in the sky.
What is lunar perihelion?
On the same night as its approach with Mars, the Moon will reach the so-called lunar perihelion. The phenomenon occurs at 10:06 PM on Thursday (14).
This is the point in its orbit where the Moon is closest to the Sun. At this specific moment, it will be at a distance of 1.0086 astronomical units (AU) from the star, equivalent to about 151 million kilometers.
Although it orbits the Earth, the Moon also accompanies the planet’s movement around the Sun. As this trajectory is not perfectly circular, the distance between the natural satellite and the star varies over time.
This movement has two main moments:
- Perihelion: period when the Moon is closest to the Sun;
- Aphelion: phase when the satellite is farthest from the star.
Why does the Moon have so many conjunctions throughout the month?
The frequent approaches of the Moon with planets happen because the satellite travels an orbit similar to the plane in which the planets revolve around the Sun. This region is called the ecliptic plane.
Because of this orbital alignment, it is common for the Moon to visually “visit” different planets throughout the month, creating apparent encounters in Earth’s observable sky.
The May sequence will still have new chapters. After Saturn and Mars, the next celestial bodies to receive the Moon’s approach will be:
- Venus, on the 18th
- Jupiter, on the 20th
May dawns will feature a sequence of phenomena involving the Moon
This week’s events reinforce May as a busy period for sky observers. Even without specialized equipment, it will be possible to follow some of the approaches during the early morning hours.
Furthermore, the combination of planetary conjunctions and lunar perihelion transforms the coming days into an opportunity to observe different movements of the Moon in relation to other bodies in the Solar System.
According to InTheSky.org, the phenomena will occur in short windows and will require attention to sky conditions and the exact moment of observation.
With information from InTheSky.org and Olhar Digital
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