Friday, April 4, 2025

First Quarter Moon Approaches Mars (overnight)

On Friday night, April 4 in the western evening sky, the half-full moon will shine a fist's diameter below (or 10 degrees to the celestial west of) the red planet Mars and Gemini's two brightest stars, Pollux and Castor. Observers in more westerly time zones will see the moon closer to the line formed by the trio. The moon will officially complete the first quarter of its orbit around Earth at 10:15 p.m. EDT or 7:15 p.m. PDT, which converts to 02:15 UT on Saturday, April 5. At first quarter, the relative positions of the Earth, sun, and moon cause us to see our natural satellite half-illuminated - on its eastern side. First quarter moons always rise around noon and set around midnight, allowing them to be seen in the afternoon daytime sky, too. The evenings surrounding first quarter are the best ones for viewing the lunar terrain when it is dramatically lit by low-angled sunlight.

(Data Courtesy of Starry Night)
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