In recent weeks, some may have noticed a strange luminous object looming on the western horizon just after sunset, then suddenly disappearing when darkness falls.
This object is actually the planet Venus, popularly known as the "Evening Star," which reappears after a period of being away from the sun's glare.
Since late February, Venus has been gradually moving away from the sun and is now clearly visible in the sky, setting about 90 minutes after sunset, making it the brightest celestial object in the western horizon. This prominent position of Venus makes it an ideal spot for observing a rare and unique astronomical phenomenon.
On the evening of Thursday, March 19th, there is an exceptional opportunity to see a very thin crescent moon, less than a day old, with its illuminated portion representing no more than 1.1% of the lunar disk. This extremely thin crescent is what the ancients called the "knife of time" because it divides the year into regular segments.
This crescent moon is of great importance to Muslims around the world who await it to determine the end of Ramadan.
The new moon is usually very difficult to spot at such a young age because the moon is so close to the sun and is obscured by its glare. However, this time, Venus comes in as a reliable guide to help locate this elusive crescent. Once Venus is found, the brightest point in the sky after sunset, the crescent can be located about the width of a fist away, specifically 7 degrees to the lower right of Venus.
To see this unique crescent moon, the observer needs to be in an open area facing west with a completely clear horizon, half an hour to an hour after sunset. It is preferable to start looking with the naked eye; if that is not possible, binoculars can be used.
Upon finding the crescent moon, the observer will see a very thin arc of light extending along the edge of the dark moon disk, almost appearing as a thin thread of light that could shatter at any moment.
What truly makes this night exceptional is the convergence of three astronomical factors that make seeing this crescent moon possible. First, the conjunction, or new moon, is occurring. Second, the spring equinox is approaching on March 20th, which places the moon's path perpendicular to the western horizon, making it easier to see. Third, the moon is nearing its perigee, or closest point to Earth, in a few days, which accelerates its movement away from the sun's glare.
Visibility varies slightly depending on geographical location, but in all cases it remains very thin with an illumination of no more than 1.4%. Tomorrow, Friday, the crescent will be much clearer, at two days old and with an illumination of 5%, making it easily visible to everyone.
If the weather is clear in your area, watching a crescent moon that is less than 24 hours old will be an exciting and unique experience, making you feel as if you are holding a thin piece of time before it fades into the darkness of the night.
