Key Takeaways:
- A Last Quarter Moon, 47% illuminated, will be visible high in the northeastern sky before dawn.
- The Moon will be in close proximity to the star Beta Tauri (Elnath), which is also designated Gamma Aurigae, situated near the border of the constellations Taurus and Auriga.
- A lunar occultation of Elnath will be visible to observers in certain locations in the southern and southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America, with timing varying considerably depending on location.
- Specific occultation timing predictions are available via the International Occultation Timing Association's webpage.
Last Quarter Moon occurs at 6:33 A.M. EDT, standing high in the early-morning sky. You can catch it before dawn in northeastern Taurus, located within 1° of the magnitude 1.7 star Beta (β) Tauri, also called Elnath. This star marks the tip of one of Taurus’ two horns, but has an interesting dual identity: It is also part of the constellation Augira, falling on the current border of Auriga and Taurus and carrying the designation Gamma (γ) Aurigae as well as Beta Tau.
Most U.S. observers will only see the Moon approach the star before day breaks or, farther west, slide just past Elnath without touching it. However, some southern and southwestern U.S. observers as well as many in Mexico and some in Central America will see the Moon cover Elnath in an occultation. The timing is heavily location dependent. For example, the star vanishes from the sky above Albuquerque, New Mexico, seconds before 5:50 A.M. MDT.
You can check whether you will see an occultation and find the times the star will vanish and reappear from your location on the International Occultation Timing Association’s webpage for the event here.
Sunrise: 6:40 A.M.
Sunset: 7:10 P.M.
Moonrise: 11:46 P.M.
Moonset: 3:00 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (47%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column.
