Look to the eastern sky in the hour preceding dawn on May 14 to catch a rare sight, as the moon, Saturn and Mars form a cosmic triangle in the glow of the rising sun, while the ice giant Neptune lurks unseen nearby.
The 8%-lit waning crescent moon will sit low on the eastern horizon as dawn’s glow creeps into the sky. Saturn will appear as a bright star-like object to the moon’s lower right, while the reddish glow of Mars shines lower still to the left of the pair.
Neptune will also be present roughly 10 degrees to the right of the thin lunar crescent — roughly the width of a clenched fist held at arm’s length against the sky — but will be far too dim to spot with the unaided eye.
Mars, Saturn and the moon will all be less than 20 degrees above the horizon at sunrise, so be sure to find a location with a clear view to the east to see them before they’re swallowed in the golden light of dawn.
While the cosmic trio will make for a spectacular naked eye target, we advise against any attempt to view them with a telescope owing to their proximity to the rising sun. Remember, pointing a telescope or binoculars at the sun can result in permanent and immediate loss of sight.
In the coming nights, Earth’s satellite will disappear from the predawn sky ahead of its new moon phase on May 16, while Mars and Saturn subtly drift away from one another among the stars of the constellation Pisces.
Be sure to read our roundups of the best lenses and cameras for astrophotography to ensure that you’re ready to capture the next big planetary rendezvous, along with our beginner’s guide to imaging the night sky.
Editor’s Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with Space.com’s readers, then please send your image(s) and comments, along with your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
