Saudi Arabia | In pictures: The last quarter moon of the month of Shaban decorated the sky of the Kingdom last Saturday

2024-03-04 2024-03-04T11:03:30Z

Arabia Weather - The moon shone in the last square phase of the month of Shaban after midnight last Saturday, corresponding to March 2, 2024 , and was associated with the star Antares throughout the night.

What is the star Antares?

The Astronomical Society in Jeddah explained that Antares is a huge, giant red star. Its mass was between 15 and 18 times the mass of the Sun , and its radius exceeded 448,793,612 kilometers. The Society indicated in its statement that if Antares were in the place of the Sun, its surface would extend to Beyond the orbit of Mars, it will travel approximately 60% of the distance to Jupiter. Antares is about 550 light-years from Earth, and its age is estimated at only about 12 million years, as it is in the autumn of its life, and stars like Antares that are in the final stages of their lives lose... Its mass increases rapidly, causing the gases to spread in a spiral manner around the star.

The last square of the #moon for the month of #Shaaban with #Al-Rajhi_Mosque in #Hail

Last night, 56% lighting.
Today, the afternoon has reached the final square pic.twitter.com/P9SzIwmN5p

- Indian astronomer Mulham (@MulhamH) March 3, 2024

What is characterized by the last quarter period of the moon of the month of Shaban?

During the last quarter period, half of the moon appears and the other half is dark. This is considered the ideal time to observe the terrain of the moon’s surface with binoculars or a small telescope. Mountains and craters become very clear along the line separating the day side from the night side of the moon, due to the overlapping of light and shadows, giving A 3D view that is the perfect opportunity for astrophotography.

As the days pass, the distance between the moon and the sun will decrease, until the moon becomes in the crescent phase at the end of the month and will be able to be observed shortly before sunrise, in preparation for it reaching the position of conjunction for the blessed month of Ramadan.