On Thursday (April 25) the moon will make a close approach to Saturn in the predawn sky. For lucky skywatchers in part of the globe, the moon will actually pass in front of the ringed planet.
The occultation of Saturn will be visible across the South Pacific, including eastern Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. During that time, Saturn will hide behind the moon for over an hour. In Melbourne, Australia, the planet first ducks behind the moon at 10:40 p.m., and it reappears at 11:26 p.m. local time. You can find a visibility map and a timetable for the occultation at lunar-occultations.com.
In the rest of the world, skywatchers can still enjoy a nice view of Saturn and the moon in the morning sky. The pair will make their closest approach at 10:27 a.m. EDT (1427 GMT), but be sure to look up before sunrise, because it will be easier to see Saturn when the sky is dark.
Related: The Moon Shines with Jupiter and Saturn This Week! Here's How to See It
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Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
