✨ Moon Meets Mars & Mercury Tonight!

🌙 The Sky Tonight, October 23: Moon Aligns with Mars and Mercury in a Rare Celestial Event

Stargazers in Pakistan and around the world are in for a treat tonight, as a delicate crescent Moon draws close to Mars and Mercury in the evening sky. The rare cosmic trio will appear just after sunset — but you’ll have to be quick to catch the view before they dip below the horizon.

🌌 A Rare Celestial Encounter

On Thursday evening, the Moon will be seen near both Mercury and Mars in the southwest, forming a picturesque alignment visible shortly after sunset. The Moon passes about 5 degrees south of Mars early in the morning and 2 degrees south of Mercury around midday, according to astronomers.

Later tonight, at 7:30 P.M. EDT, the Moon will reach its apogee, the farthest point in its orbit from Earth — sitting nearly 252,553 miles (406,445 km) away.

🌠 How and When to Watch

Half an hour after sunset, the trio will appear low — only about 3 degrees above the southwestern horizon. The Moon will be the lowest in the sky, while Mercury, the brighter of the two planets, will shine slightly above and to its right. Mars, dimmer and reddish in hue, will appear just above Mercury.

If you have clear skies and an open horizon, especially away from city lights, you’ll be able to spot the planets with the naked eye or a pair of binoculars. Mercury, with a magnitude of –0.2, will likely be the first to emerge in the twilight. Mars, shining at magnitude 1.4, may need a telescope for a clearer view.

Through binoculars or a small telescope, Mercury reveals a bright 73% illuminated disk, while Mars appears smaller, around 4 arcseconds wide, but fully lit.

🌙 Additional Sky Details for October 23

• Sunrise: 7:20 A.M.

• Sunset: 6:08 P.M.

• Moonrise: 9:34 A.M.

• Moonset: 6:57 P.M.

• Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent (6% illumination)

These times are based on local conditions for 40° N, 90° W, and may vary slightly depending on your location.

🌟 Don’t Miss the Cosmic Show

Tonight’s alignment of the Moon, Mars, and Mercury offers a short but beautiful glimpse into our dynamic solar system — a reminder that even small celestial movements can create moments of wonder. So, grab your binoculars, find a clear spot facing southwest, and enjoy this stunning sky event before it fades into twilight.