Bright “Star” Next to Moon: What Is Next to the Moon Tonight?
A bright planet near the Moon — what a beautiful sight, easily visible to the naked eye! Want to know if Venus or Jupiter is close to the Moon tonight? Use the free Sky Tonight app! Featuring an astronomical calendar, it can also identify any bright dot near the Moon in real time. Check out this article to learn about the upcoming Moon-planet conjunctions.
Contents
- What’s next to the Moon tonight?
- What do astronomers call the approach of the Moon to the planet?
- Observations
- What planet is closest to the Moon in the sky: Bottom line
What’s next to the Moon tonight?
On September 27–28, the most prominent object near the Moon is the planet Saturn (mag 0.4).
The following night, the Moon moves into the constellation Aries and passes near its brightest star, Hamal (mag 2.0). Together with Sheratan (mag 2.6), the second-brightest star in Aries, they form a nearly isosceles triangle on September 28–29.
Observers in New York and Toronto will see the most symmetrical version of the triangle during darkness. Farther east, perfect symmetry occurs in bright morning twilight or after sunrise, but the best nighttime configuration will still appear nearly isosceles to the naked eye.
| City | Time zone | Date | Viewing begins | Best time | Viewing ends | Moon altitude | Hamal altitude | Sheratan altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | EDT (UTC−4) | Sep 28–29 | 8:30 PM | 12:10 AM | 5:50 AM | 50° | 55° | 56° |
| Toronto, Canada | EDT (UTC−4) | Sep 28–29 | 8:45 PM | 12:10 AM | 6:10 AM | 46° | 51° | 51° |
| London, UK | BST (UTC+1) | Sep 28–29 | 8:10 PM | 5:45 AM | 5:45 AM | 41° | 45° | 41° |
| New Delhi, India | IST (UTC+5:30) | Sep 28–29 | 7:55 PM | 5:20 AM | 5:20 AM | 41° | 44° | 41° |
| Singapore | SGT (UTC+8) | Sep 28–29 | 9:25 PM | 6:05 AM | 6:05 AM | 35° | 36° | 34° |
| Sydney, Australia | AEST (UTC+10) | Sep 28–29 | 9:40 PM | 4:40 AM | 4:40 AM | 19° | 17° | 17° |
- Viewing begins: All three objects are at least 10° above the horizon, and the Sun is at least 12° below it.
- Best time: The Moon–Hamal and Moon–Sheratan distances are closest to equal.
- Viewing ends: The Sun rises above −12°, or one of the objects drops below 10°.
- Altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
On September 30 – October 1, the Moon is close to the star Aldebaran (mag 0.9) in Taurus. The bright Pleiades (mag 1.2) are also visible to the naked eye nearby.
Then, on October 4, our natural satellite comes closer to the red planet Mars (mag 1.0). Another prominent dot nearby is Pollux (mag 1.2) — the brightest star in the constellation Gemini.
From October 4 to 7, the waning crescent Moon will pass along a gently curved line formed by Mars (mag 1.0), Jupiter (mag −1.9), and Regulus (mag 1.4).
On the mornings of October 4 and 5, Mars is the closest planet to the Moon in the sky. The luminous dot below them, closer to the horizon, is Jupiter. On October 6, the Moon moves closer to Jupiter, which becomes the brightest planet near the Moon this morning. On the morning of October 7, the thin crescent Moon will appear near Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. Unlike yellowish Jupiter, Regulus shines with a blue-white color.
The formation will be best seen from the Northern Hemisphere, where all four objects will climb relatively high before sunrise. Observers in the Southern Hemisphere can also see it, but Regulus will remain low above the eastern horizon, so a clear, unobstructed view will be essential.
| City | Time zone | Viewing window on October 4–7 |
|---|---|---|
| London, UK | BST (UTC+1) | 04:25–06:30 |
| New York, USA | EDT (UTC−4) | 04:30–06:30 |
| Los Angeles, USA | PDT (UTC−7) | 04:45–06:25 |
| Beijing, China | CST (UTC+8) | 03:45–05:45 |
| Shanghai, China | CST (UTC+8) | 03:35–05:25 |
| Tokyo, Japan | JST (UTC+9) | 03:15–05:10 |
| Sydney, Australia | AEDT (UTC+11) | 05:40–06:00 |
| Auckland, New Zealand | NZDT (UTC+13) | 06:10–06:20 |
- Viewing window: Throughout the listed period, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Regulus are all at least 10° above the horizon, and the Sun is at least 6° below it. All times are local.
Each day, the Moon becomes harder to see, since it comes closer to the Sun. Around the new phase on October 10, it is practically invisible.
What do astronomers call the approach of the Moon to the planet?
In this article, you'll come across several types of celestial events. They all involve the relative positions of the Moon and celestial objects and occur close together in time. However, they differ in detail. Here is what each one means.
Closest approach (appulse)
Closest approach or appulse happens when two celestial objects have the smallest apparent distance as seen from the Earth. For the Moon and planets, appulse often takes place close to conjunction.
Conjunction
Conjunction occurs when two celestial objects have the same apparent right ascension or ecliptic longitude in the sky. In everyday language, the terms “conjunction” and “closest approach” are often used interchangeably. However, conjunction has a more technical meaning and does not necessarily occur with every appulse.
Moon-planet conjunctions occur frequently. Once every 27.3 days, our natural satellite passes through a narrow part of the sky centered on the ecliptic and encounters planets. Planetary conjunctions are less frequent; you can learn more about them in our separate article.
Occultation
Occultation takes place when a celestial body with a greater apparent diameter passes in front of a body with a smaller apparent diameter; for example, when the Moon passes in front of a star or planet. The occultation of the Sun by the Moon is called a solar eclipse. Each lunar occultation is only visible from some parts of the Earth. That's because the exact position of the Moon in the sky varies by up to 2° at different locations.
Observations
How to spot planets next to the Moon?
Here are some things to keep in mind for successful observations.
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You may miss the exact time of conjunction or closest approach, but don't worry! Even before or after the exact moment of the event, the objects will stay relatively close together, and that's just as worth observing.
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Depending on the angular distance between the objects, some events should be seen with a telescope and some with binoculars. In general, a good 10×50 binocular will give you a 6-7° field of view; for telescopes, this figure varies — it could be less than 1°. You can calculate the field of view of your optics yourself. And, of course, you can also observe an event with the naked eye.
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When the Moon is close to its full phase, it outshines fainter objects, so the planets and stars near the Full Moon may appear not as bright as they usually do.
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A bright object near the Moon can be a star or a planet. To know for sure which one you're seeing, use Sky Tonight: point your device at the object in question, and the app will tell you its name.
Jupiter and Venus (sometimes Mars and Saturn, too) are way brighter than most stars. You can tell the planets apart by their colors:
- Mercury is gray or brownish;
- Venus is pale yellow;
- Mars is pale pink or bright red;
- Jupiter is orange;
- Saturn is gold.
- To identify an object or find out when objects are closest together for your exact location, use the free stargazing tools — Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2.
Sky Tonight app
To identify an object in the sky with the help of Sky Tonight, follow these steps:
Step 1. Open Sky Tonight and point your device at the sky or tap the big blue button. A live representation of what you see in the sky will appear on the screen, and the app will start to follow your movements.
Step 2. Point your device at the part of the sky where the object is located. For convenience, you can limit the visual magnitude so that only those objects that can be seen with the naked eye appear on the screen. To do this, tap the panel at the bottom of the screen and drag the top slider to the left, closer to the eye icon. From this panel, you can also turn on the night mode, change the constellation appearance, and more.
Step 3. Now you can identify the bright object and get information about it by tapping on its name.
You can also watch our detailed video tutorial.
Star Walk 2 app
To identify an object in the sky with the help of Star Walk 2, follow these steps:
Step 1. Open Star Walk 2 and point your device at the sky or tap the compass icon in the top left corner of the screen. A live representation of what you see in the sky will appear on the screen, and the app will start to follow your movements.
Step 2. Point your device at the part of the sky where the object is located. For convenience, drag the slider on the left down until only the objects you can see in the sky remain on the screen.
Step 3. Now you can identify the bright object and get information about it by tapping on its name at the bottom of the screen.
You can also watch our detailed video tutorial. Find more videos in the Tutorials section.
How to photograph the Moon with planets?
You can take a picture of a planet near the Moon with a professional camera or even a smartphone. Here are some tips to help you:
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Check the weather forecast. Open the Sky Tonight app and tap the telescope icon at the bottom. You'll see two tabs — Stargazing Index and Weather. Select the latter and find the date with cloudless weather, so clouds don't interfere with your night of astrophotography.
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Find out when objects are well-placed for your location. In Sky Tonight, tap the magnifier icon at the bottom. Enter the name of the object you're interested in and tap the target icon next to the corresponding search result. When the app shows you the object's location, use the panel at the top to scroll through time and determine the best time to take the picture.
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Set up a frame. Determine the apparent distance between the Moon and the planet and find their altitude using Sky Tonight. Next, define a rectangle large enough to fit everything you want in the frame, but leave yourself some room. Then use a field of view calculator to find the right lens size for the coverage.
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Bring something else into the shot. It could be a tree or a small house, depending on your surroundings. Here is an example of how a target in the foreground improves a shot. Use the AR mode in Sky Tonight to superimpose the image of the night sky on your background. Tap the big blue button on the main screen for this.
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Use a tripod. It will help your camera to stay still and take several pictures from the same angle.
What planet is next to the Moon tonight? October 2026
Here is a quick table of all the planets the Moon passes close to in October 2026.
| Date | Event | Where/when to look | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1 | Moon near Uranus | Late evening to before dawn; binoculars or a telescope needed | 🟡 Moderate |
| October 5 | Moon near Mars; lunar occultation of Mars | Before dawn | 🟢 Good |
| October 6 | Moon near Jupiter; lunar occultation of Jupiter | Before dawn | 🟢 Good |
| October 12 | Moon near Venus | Shortly after sunset | 🟡 Moderate |
| October 12 | Moon near Mercury | Shortly after sunset | 🟡 Moderate |
| October 23–24 | Moon near Neptune | From evening through much of the night; a telescope is needed | 🔴 Difficult |
| October 24 | Moon near Saturn | From evening through much of the night | 🟢 Good |
| October 28 | Moon near Uranus | Late evening to before dawn; binoculars or a telescope needed | 🟡 Moderate |
October 1: Moon near Uranus
- Close approach time: 02:47 GMT (September 30, 10:47 PM ET)
- Close approach distance: 5°17′
- Conjunction time: 04:20 GMT (12:20 AM ET)
- Conjunction distance: 5°22′
On October 1, the waning gibbous Moon will appear near Uranus (mag 5.7) in the constellation Taurus. The Moon will be easy to see without any optical aid, while Uranus will require binoculars or a small telescope. Since the Moon will be quite bright, spotting faint Uranus nearby may be challenging.
The Pleiades star cluster (mag 1.2) and the star Aldebaran (mag 0.9) will also appear nearby.
| City | Time zone | Visibility start | Visibility end | Best time | Separation | Moon altitude | Uranus altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | UTC−04:00 | Sep 30, 22:10 | Oct 1, 05:20 | Sep 30, 22:10 | 4.6° | 13° | 10° |
| Los Angeles, USA | UTC−07:00 | Sep 30, 22:20 | Oct 1, 05:25 | Sep 30, 22:20 | 5.2° | 11° | 10° |
| Toronto, Canada | UTC−04:00 | Sep 30, 22:25 | Oct 1, 05:40 | Sep 30, 22:25 | 4.5° | 13° | 10° |
| London, UK | UTC+01:00 | Sep 30, 21:55 | Oct 1, 05:10 | Oct 1, 02:20 | 4.8° | 54° | 50° |
| New Delhi, India | UTC+05:30 | Sep 30, 22:00 | Oct 1, 04:55 | Oct 1, 04:55 | 5.7° | 74° | 75° |
| Singapore | UTC+08:00 | Sep 30, 23:25 | Oct 1, 05:45 | Oct 1, 05:45 | 6.6° | 59° | 65° |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+10:00 | Sep 30, 23:30 | Oct 1, 04:10 | Oct 1, 04:10 | 8.0° | 28° | 34° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 1, 01:05 | Oct 1, 05:30 | Oct 1, 05:30 | 8.7° | 25° | 32° |
- Visibility start: Both objects are at least 10° above the horizon, and the Sun is at least 18° below it.
- Best time: The Moon and Uranus appear closest while both are high enough to see and the sky is dark enough.
- Visibility end: The Sun reaches 18° below the horizon, marking the start of astronomical twilight.
- Separation and altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
October 5: Moon near Mars; lunar occultation of Mars
- Global occultation start: 05:07 GMT (1:07 AM ET)
- Global occultation end: 07:15 GMT (3:15 AM ET)
- Conjunction time: 05:32 GMT (1:32 AM ET)
- Conjunction distance: 1°08′
- Close approach time: 06:11 GMT (2:11 AM ET)
- Close approach distance: 1°05′
On October 5, the waning crescent Moon will pass near Mars (mag 1.0) in the constellation Cancer. Look for the pair in the predawn sky. A lunar occultation of Mars will be visible from parts of northern Canada; elsewhere, where the pair is above the horizon before dawn, observers will see the Moon and Mars close together.
Another bright planet, Jupiter (mag −1.9), shines in the same area of the sky. It appears closer to the eastern horizon in the constellation Leo.
| City | Time zone | Visibility start | Visibility end | Best time | Separation | Moon altitude | Mars altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | UTC−04:00 | Oct 5, 02:15 | Oct 5, 06:30 | Oct 5, 02:15 | 1°11′ | 10° | 11° |
| Los Angeles, USA | UTC−07:00 | Oct 5, 02:30 | Oct 5, 06:25 | Oct 5, 02:30 | 2°56′ | 10° | 13° |
| Toronto, Canada | UTC−04:00 | Oct 5, 02:30 | Oct 5, 06:50 | Oct 5, 02:30 | 1°16′ | 10° | 11° |
| Resolute, Canada | UTC−05:00 | Oct 5, 00:10 | Oct 5, 06:50 | Oct 5, 00:15 | 0°16′ | 11° | 10° |
| Eureka, Canada | UTC−05:00 | Oct 4, 19:05 | Oct 5, 06:05 | Oct 5, 00:25 | 0°16′ | 16° | 15° |
| London, UK | UTC+01:00 | Oct 5, 01:55 | Oct 5, 06:35 | Oct 5, 06:20 | 0°42′ | 50° | 50° |
| New Delhi, India | UTC+05:30 | Oct 5, 01:55 | Oct 5, 05:55 | Oct 5, 05:55 | 3°02′ | 64° | 61° |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+11:00 | Oct 5, 04:20 | Oct 5, 06:00 | Oct 5, 06:00 | 6°23′ | 25° | 26° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 6, 05:20 | Oct 6, 06:25 | Oct 6, 05:20 | 6°21′ | 10° | 14° |
- Visibility start: Both objects are at least 10° above the horizon, and the Sun is at least 6° below it.
- Best time: The Moon and Mars appear closest while both are high enough to see and the sky is dark enough. In Resolute and Eureka, Mars passes behind the Moon around this time.
- Visibility end: The Sun reaches 6° below the horizon, marking the start of civil twilight.
- Separation is the center-to-center angular distance between the Moon and Mars. During an occultation, it is smaller than the Moon’s apparent radius but does not necessarily reach 0°.
- Separation and altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
October 6: Moon near Jupiter; lunar occultation of Jupiter
- Conjunction time: 10:16 GMT (6:16 AM ET)
- Conjunction distance: 0°10′
- Close approach time: 10:24 GMT (6:24 AM ET)
- Close approach distance: 0°09′
On October 6, the waning crescent Moon will pass extremely close to brilliant Jupiter (mag −1.9) in the constellation Leo. The pair will be easy to see with the naked eye. Binoculars can show Jupiter’s four bright Galilean moons, while a telescope may also reveal the planet’s Great Red Spot under favorable conditions. The Moon will offer plenty of detail too, with shadowed craters standing out along its rugged terminator.
Look above the Moon and Jupiter to see Mars (mag 1.0) in the constellation Cancer. It shines with its unmistakable red color.
| City | Time zone | Visibility start | Visibility end | Best time | Separation | Moon altitude | Jupiter altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | UTC−04:00 | Oct 6, 03:30 | Oct 6, 06:30 | Oct 6, 04:55 | 0°04′ | 26° | 26° |
| Los Angeles, USA | UTC−07:00 | Oct 6, 03:40 | Oct 6, 06:25 | Oct 6, 03:40 | 1°05′ | 10° | 11° |
| Toronto, Canada | UTC−04:00 | Oct 6, 03:50 | Oct 6, 06:50 | Oct 6, 04:55 | 0°07′ | 22° | 22° |
| London, UK | UTC+01:00 | Oct 6, 03:20 | Oct 6, 06:35 | Oct 6, 06:35 | 2°08′ | 41° | 39° |
| New Delhi, India | UTC+05:30 | Oct 6, 03:10 | Oct 6, 05:55 | Oct 6, 05:55 | 5°07′ | 51° | 46° |
| Singapore | UTC+08:00 | Oct 6, 04:20 | Oct 6, 06:30 | Oct 6, 06:30 | 6°19′ | 46° | 41° |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+11:00 | Oct 7, 05:15 | Oct 7, 06:00 | Oct 7, 05:15 | 5°01′ | 10° | 13° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 7, 05:50 | Oct 7, 06:25 | Oct 7, 05:50 | 4°09′ | 10° | 12° |
- Visibility start: Both objects are at least 10° above the horizon, and the Sun is at least 6° below it.
- Best time: The Moon and Jupiter appear closest while both are high enough to see and the sky is dark enough. In New York and Toronto, Jupiter is hidden behind the Moon at this time.
- Visibility end: The Sun reaches 6° below the horizon, marking the start of civil twilight.
- Separation is the center-to-center angular distance between the Moon and Jupiter. During an occultation, it is smaller than the Moon’s apparent radius but does not necessarily reach 0°.
- Separation and altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
Observers in parts of Africa and the Americas may also witness a lunar occultation of Jupiter. On October 6, between 08:14 and 12:32 GMT, the Moon will pass directly in front of the planet, briefly hiding it from view. Use the free Sky Tonight app to check the occultation visibility and exact timing for your location.
October 12: Moon near Venus
- Conjunction time: 02:31 GMT (October 11, 10:31 PM ET)
- Conjunction distance: 3°05′
- Close approach time: 04:37 GMT (12:37 AM ET)
- Close approach distance: 2°49′
On October 12, a very thin crescent Moon will appear near brilliant Venus (mag −4.4), which will be in Virgo. Look for them low above the western horizon shortly after sunset. Fainter Mercury (mag 0.0) will also be nearby, in Libra.
The best views will be from the Southern Hemisphere. Near the equator, you'll have only a brief chance to spot it as the sky darkens. At mid- and high northern latitudes, the pair will be too low by the time the sky darkens enough for observation.
The viewing window begins when the Sun is 6° below the horizon and both objects are at least 10° above it. In every city listed, this is also the best time.
| City | Time zone | Best time | Separation | Moon altitude | Venus altitude | Visibility end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town, South Africa | UTC+02:00 | Oct 12, 19:25 | 6.7° | 18° | 13° | Oct 12, 19:35 |
| Durban, South Africa | UTC+02:00 | Oct 12, 18:30 | 6.2° | 17° | 12° | Oct 12, 18:40 |
| Perth, Australia | UTC+08:00 | Oct 12, 18:50 | 3.9° | 15° | 13° | Oct 12, 19:05 |
| Adelaide, Australia | UTC+10:30 | Oct 12, 19:55 | 3.5° | 14° | 13° | Oct 12, 20:10 |
| Brisbane, Australia | UTC+10:00 | Oct 12, 18:15 | 3.1° | 13° | 12° | Oct 12, 18:30 |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+11:00 | Oct 12, 19:30 | 3.2° | 14° | 13° | Oct 12, 19:45 |
| Auckland, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 12, 20:00 | 3.1° | 13° | 13° | Oct 12, 20:15 |
| Christchurch, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 12, 20:20 | 3.2° | 13° | 13° | Oct 12, 20:35 |
- Best time: The Moon and Venus appear closest while both are high enough to see and the sky is dark enough.
- Separation and altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
- Visibility end: Venus drops below 10° above the horizon.
October 12: Moon near Mercury
- Close approach time: 18:43 GMT (2:43 PM ET)
- Close approach distance: 2°01′
- Conjunction time: 20:08 GMT (4:08 PM ET)
- Conjunction distance: 2°07′
On October 12, a very thin crescent Moon will appear near Mercury (mag 0.0). Look for them above the western horizon shortly after sunset. Mercury will be in Libra, while much brighter Venus (mag −4.4) will be nearby in Virgo.
The best views will be from the Southern Hemisphere, where the pair will be higher above the horizon as the sky darkens. Near the equator, the viewing window will be shorter, so a clear western horizon is especially important. At mid- and high northern latitudes, Mercury will be very low in the twilight and may be hidden by buildings or trees.
| City | Time zone | Visibility start | Visibility end | Best time | Separation | Moon altitude | Mercury altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town, South Africa | UTC+02:00 | Oct 12, 19:25 | Oct 12, 20:05 | Oct 12, 20:05 | 2.2° | 10° | 11° |
| Durban, South Africa | UTC+02:00 | Oct 12, 18:30 | Oct 12, 19:05 | Oct 12, 19:05 | 2.5° | 10° | 11° |
| Singapore | UTC+08:00 | Oct 12, 19:15 | Oct 12, 19:20 | Oct 12, 19:20 | 5.0° | 10° | 15° |
| Perth, Australia | UTC+08:00 | Oct 12, 18:50 | Oct 12, 19:15 | Oct 12, 19:15 | 4.9° | 10° | 14° |
| Adelaide, Australia | UTC+10:30 | Oct 12, 19:55 | Oct 12, 20:15 | Oct 12, 20:15 | 5.5° | 10° | 15° |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+11:00 | Oct 12, 19:30 | Oct 12, 19:50 | Oct 12, 19:50 | 5.9° | 10° | 15° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 13, 20:00 | Oct 13, 21:15 | Oct 13, 20:00 | 5.4° | 24° | 19° |
- Visibility start: The Sun reaches 6° below the horizon, while the Moon is at least 10° above it and Mercury is at least 5° above it.
- Best time: The Moon and Mercury appear closest while both are high enough to see and the sky is dark enough.
- Visibility end: The Moon drops below 10° or Mercury drops below 5°, whichever happens first.
- Separation and altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
October 23–24: Moon near Neptune
- Close approach time: October 23, 23:22 GMT (October 23, 7:22 PM ET)
- Close approach distance: 4°15′
- Conjunction time: October 24, 03:16 GMT (October 23, 11:16 PM ET)
- Conjunction distance: 4°49′
On the night of October 23–24, the waxing gibbous Moon will appear close to Neptune (mag 7.7) in the constellation Pisces. Neptune is far too faint to see with the naked eye, and the bright moonlight will make it even harder to detect, so you’ll need a telescope for the best chance of spotting it.
| City | Time zone | Visibility start | Visibility end | Best time | Separation | Moon altitude | Neptune altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | UTC−04:00 | Oct 23, 19:35 | Oct 24, 04:00 | Oct 23, 19:35 | 3.5° | 32° | 29° |
| Los Angeles, USA | UTC−07:00 | Oct 23, 19:35 | Oct 24, 04:05 | Oct 23, 19:35 | 4.1° | 34° | 32° |
| Toronto, Canada | UTC−04:00 | Oct 23, 19:55 | Oct 24, 04:20 | Oct 23, 19:55 | 3.5° | 30° | 27° |
| London, UK | UTC+01:00 | Oct 23, 19:40 | Oct 24, 03:55 | Oct 24, 00:20 | 3.8° | 38° | 36° |
| New Delhi, India | UTC+05:30 | Oct 23, 19:05 | Oct 24, 03:30 | Oct 24, 03:30 | 4.6° | 10° | 12° |
| Singapore | UTC+08:00 | Oct 23, 20:00 | Oct 24, 04:10 | Oct 24, 04:10 | 5.4° | 10° | 14° |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+11:00 | Oct 23, 20:45 | Oct 24, 03:40 | Oct 24, 03:40 | 6.6° | 10° | 16° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 23, 21:20 | Oct 24, 04:00 | Oct 24, 04:00 | 7.2° | 10° | 17° |
- Visibility start: The Sun reaches 18° below the horizon, while both objects are at least 10° above it.
- Best time: The Moon and Neptune appear closest while both are high enough to see and the sky is dark enough. This may be at the start or end of the viewing window.
- Visibility end: One of the objects drops below 10° above the horizon.
- Separation and altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
October 24: Moon near Saturn
- Close approach time: 12:24 GMT (8:24 AM ET)
- Close approach distance: 6°04′
- Conjunction time: 17:42 GMT (1:42 PM ET)
- Conjunction distance: 6°49′
Around October 24, the nearly full Moon will appear near Saturn (mag 0.4). The Moon will be in Pisces, while Saturn will be in Cetus, close to the border with Pisces.
Look for them in the evening and through much of the night. This will be a fairly wide pairing, with about 6° between the Moon and Saturn. Their monthly close approaches will remain fairly wide over the next few years, with separations of roughly 5–8°. By 2030, some close approaches will bring the pair within 2–4° of each other.
Saturn reached opposition on October 4, so it will still appear close to its largest and brightest for the year. You can see the planet with the naked eye, but if you own a telescope, you can see Saturn’s rings.
| City | Time zone | Visibility start | Visibility end | Best time | Separation | Moon altitude | Saturn altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | UTC−04:00 | Oct 23, 18:30 | Oct 24, 04:30 | Oct 24, 04:30 | 6.7° | 10° | 12° |
| Los Angeles, USA | UTC−07:00 | Oct 23, 18:35 | Oct 24, 04:35 | Oct 24, 04:35 | 6.1° | 10° | 11° |
| Toronto, Canada | UTC−04:00 | Oct 23, 18:50 | Oct 24, 04:50 | Oct 24, 04:50 | 6.5° | 10° | 11° |
| London, UK | Europe/London | Oct 24, 18:25 (UTC+01:00) | Oct 25, 03:30 (UTC+00:00) | Oct 24, 18:25 (UTC+01:00) | 6.0° | 14° | 10° |
| New Delhi, India | UTC+05:30 | Oct 24, 18:05 | Oct 25, 04:05 | Oct 24, 18:05 | 5.4° | 22° | 18° |
| Singapore | UTC+08:00 | Oct 24, 19:10 | Oct 25, 04:50 | Oct 24, 19:10 | 5.7° | 27° | 25° |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+11:00 | Oct 24, 19:40 | Oct 25, 04:05 | Oct 24, 20:00 | 6.4° | 30° | 31° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 24, 20:15 | Oct 25, 04:25 | Oct 24, 21:50 | 6.7° | 40° | 43° |
- Visibility start: Both objects are at least 10° above the horizon, and the Sun is at least 6° below it.
- Best time: The Moon and Saturn appear closest while both are high enough to see and the sky is dark enough.
- Visibility end: One of the objects drops below 10° above the horizon.
- Separation and altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
October 28: Moon near Uranus
- Close approach time: 08:56 GMT (4:56 AM ET)
- Close approach distance: 5°09′
- Conjunction time: 10:26 GMT (6:26 AM ET)
- Conjunction distance: 5°13′
On October 28, the waning gibbous Moon will pass close to Uranus (mag 5.6) in the constellation Taurus. Uranus is faint, so you’ll need powerful binoculars or a small telescope to find it; the bright Moon may make the planet even harder to spot.
The Pleiades star cluster (mag 1.2) and the bright star Aldebaran (mag 0.9) will also shine nearby.
| City | Time zone | Visibility start | Visibility end | Best time | Separation | Moon altitude | Uranus altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | UTC−04:00 | Oct 27, 20:25 | Oct 28, 05:50 | Oct 28, 05:50 | 4.9° | 48° | 46° |
| Los Angeles, USA | UTC−07:00 | Oct 27, 20:30 | Oct 28, 05:45 | Oct 27, 23:35 | 4.9° | 51° | 47° |
| Toronto, Canada | UTC−04:00 | Oct 27, 20:40 | Oct 28, 06:10 | Oct 28, 06:10 | 4.8° | 47° | 45° |
| London, UK | UTC+00:00 | Oct 27, 19:05 | Oct 28, 04:55 | Oct 28, 04:55 | 5.6° | 43° | 42° |
| New Delhi, India | UTC+05:30 | Oct 28, 20:10 | Oct 29, 05:10 | Oct 28, 20:10 | 6.3° | 10° | 11° |
| Singapore | UTC+08:00 | Oct 28, 21:45 | Oct 29, 05:35 | Oct 28, 21:45 | 6.4° | 10° | 13° |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+11:00 | Oct 28, 23:10 | Oct 29, 04:30 | Oct 28, 23:10 | 6.4° | 10° | 16° |
| Auckland, New Zealand | UTC+13:00 | Oct 28, 23:45 | Oct 29, 04:45 | Oct 28, 23:45 | 6.1° | 10° | 15° |
- Visibility start: Both objects are at least 10° above the horizon, and the Sun is at least 18° below it.
- Best time: The Moon and Uranus appear closest while both are high enough to see and the sky is dark enough.
- Visibility end: The Sun reaches 18° below the horizon, marking the start of astronomical twilight.
- Separation and altitudes are provided for the “best time”.
What planet is closest to the Moon in the sky: Bottom line
Now you know what those bright dots near the Moon are. To view the planets and stars near our natural satellite, choose a cloudless night and use Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight to learn when the celestial objects are best placed for your location. For a visual explanation, watch our recently released video on how to identify bright objects near the Moon using the Sky Tonight app, step by step.
Here, you can learn about past conjunctions of the Moon and planets:
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2022;
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2023;
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2024;
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2025.
- Moon-planet conjunctions 2026.
Wishing you clear skies and happy observations!
