On the evening of June 9, skywatchers will be treated to a beautiful cosmic pairing. The waxing gibbous moon will glow close to the bright red star Antares in the Scorpius constellation. This rare alignment promises a stunning view for those looking up.

A Bright Neighbour in the Night Sky

In the United States, the moon will rise high over the southeastern horizon after sunset. Antares will shine vividly about four degrees to the moon’s lower left. To help picture this, NASA explains that a little finger held at arm’s length covers roughly one degree in the sky. Holding your index, middle, and ring fingers together covers about five degrees. Antares is often called the "Heart of the Scorpion," due to its place in the zodiac constellation Scorpius.

This constellation also hosts remarkable deep sky objects, including the Messier 4 globular cluster and the nearby stellar nursery, Rho Ophiuchi.

Antares is a red supergiant, about 700 times wider than our sun. It shines nearly 10,000 times brighter. Scientists expect it will end its life in a dramatic supernova explosion, but this could happen anytime from tomorrow to a million years in the future.

The Cosmic Dance: Occultation Visible in the Southern Hemisphere

As the night wears on, the moon will appear to approach Antares more closely. By early morning of June 10, Antares will set just above the moon’s upper left side before both disappear beneath the southwestern horizon.

Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere, viewers in Australia, Tasmania, and Papua New Guinea will witness a special event. The moon will slide directly in front of Antares, temporarily blocking its light. This phenomenon, called an occultation, begins at 4:47 a.m. EDT (0847 GMT), according to in-the-sky.org.

For those keen to capture this breathtaking event, there are simple guides available for photographing the moon. If you want to explore further, lists of the best telescopes and binoculars for night sky viewing can help bring the cosmos closer.

This June night promises a magical moment between Earth’s closest neighbour and one of the universe’s brightest stars. It is a perfect reminder of the wonders just above us.

Source: Moneycontrol