Starwatch: Waning crescent moon pairs up with the Seven Sisters
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- Waning crescent moon will pass the Pleiades (M45) in the early hours of 11 July, with the compact cluster positioned just off the moon's dark limb
- Moon will be only 15% illuminated and just a few days old, with its sunlit limb pointing down toward the horizon
- Pleiades cluster, despite its nickname the Seven Sisters, typically shows only six stars to the naked eye, though binoculars reveal many more
- Mars will be visible nearby, sitting lower toward the horizon in Taurus — described as a difficult but rewarding catch in the rapidly brightening sky
- Best viewable looking east-north-east at 3am BST, with a clear low horizon essential as the sky begins brightening toward dawn
- The conjunction is also visible from the southern hemisphere, where Taurus rises in the north-east
Why it matters: The moon's thin 15% illumination means its glare won't wash out the cluster, giving binocular-equipped observers a rare chance to resolve the Pleiades' full stellar population. The pre-dawn 3am BST timing from London makes this a true early-riser event, and the southern hemisphere note extends the audience to global stargazers in Taurus-season viewing conditions.
