Watch the sky.. The sky of the Arab world will witness today the conjunction of the gibbous moon with the planet Saturn

Arab Weather - The sky will witness a special astronomical event after sunset today, Monday, October 14, 2024, represented by the conjunction of the waxing gibbous moon with the planet Saturn, as a very small distance of only 0.1 degrees will separate them. This conjunction will appear in an amazing scene, and can be observed in many places.
Experts explained that Saturn will appear to the naked eye as a medium-bright star. Thanks to the close apparent distance between the moon and Saturn, it will be possible to see both celestial bodies together in the field of view of binoculars.

Can Saturn be spotted today?

Yes, Saturn can be seen with a medium-sized telescope, but its rings won't be as clear as they were in previous years. Currently, the rings are tilted at a small angle of just 3.7 degrees relative to Earth, making them appear very thin and difficult to see in full detail. Experts explained that this angle makes it difficult to see some fine details such as the Cassini Dark Terminator, the space between Saturn's rings, but with larger telescopes, it is possible to glimpse the edges of the rings and see some of its large moons, such as Titan.

What is hijab?

An occultation is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when a celestial body disappears behind another body that passes between it and the observer. The term is used specifically when the Moon passes in front of a star or planet in the zodiac. This phenomenon is not common and occurs only in specific areas, where it can be seen from a small part of the Earth's surface.

Because the Moon is much closer to Earth than other celestial bodies, its position in the sky varies depending on the observer's location on Earth. This position can vary by as much as two degrees, or four times the diameter of a full Moon. This means that if the Moon were to eclipse a planet or star for an observer in one part of the world, it would appear two degrees away from that celestial body in another part of the world.

Moon passes near Uranus

In addition to the Saturn occultation, the Moon will be observed passing close to Uranus later. An actual Uranus occultation will occur when the planet disappears behind the Moon and then reappears while the Moon is high in the sky. This occultation can be observed with binoculars or a small telescope, providing a unique opportunity for astrophotographers to capture unique images.

Areas that will witness the occultation

The occultation will occur in some specific areas of the world. In this case, parts of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia will witness the occultation phenomenon, in addition to the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and the Sultanate of Oman. This rare astronomical event attracts the attention of astronomy lovers and astrophotographers in those areas, as they will be able to watch the moon pass in front of the planet Saturn in a rare and exciting phenomenon.

See also:

Hunter's Moon.. One of the largest and brightest moons in 2024 appears on this date

How to see Comet Tsochenshan-Atlas with the naked eye from the skies of Jordan today, Sunday