The final days of November and the start of December present exceptional opportunities to once again observe the fascinating movements of our Solar System. This week, the night sky invites us to witness several magnificent celestial events, highlighted by the impressive Cold Moon Supermoon. This spectacular lunar event will be complemented by two beautiful close pairings, giving observers the chance to track the Moon gliding past both Saturn and the famous Pleiades star cluster.
Moon and Saturn – November 29th
On this night, if you look south-west just after sunset, you will find the bright Moon which will be in its Waxing Gibbous phase, appearing very close to the yellow steady light of Saturn. (When the Moon is in its Waxing Gibbous phase, it means that it will appear more than half lit up.)
This close alignment is a called a conjunction and even though the Moon is thousands of kilometers closer to us than Saturn, the two will appear stunningly close from our perspectives and will be very easily visible to the naked eye. Saturn will appear to look like a star and will be one of the closest you see to the Moon.
Moon glides past the Pleiades – 3rd of December
The almost full Moon will approach and then pass through the famous Pleiades star cluster that is also known as the Seven Sisters constellation. This will all happen high in the evening sky, so look up and southeast after about 8pm.
This celestial event is known as a close approach and will happen very late in the evening. The bright Moon will make it harder to see the Pleiades, so a pair of binoculars is recommended to help you to see the Moon gliding past the Pleiades.
Cold Moon Supermoon – 4th of December
The Moon will reach its full phase that is also known as a Supermoon and will appear 15% brighter and 8% larger than the average Moon. Make sure to look for it shining in the night sky as it rises east around sunset. The indigenous tribe, the Mohawks, called it the Cold Moon as it happens right as we get into Winter. This will also be the last Supermoon in 2025 and will be the brightest and the best night of the week for you to observe the lunar details. You will definitely be able to see this without any equipment.