Moon, Venus, Saturn align: The celestial trio you’ll only catch this week

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

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4:45 Alarm

For three straight mornings—May 22, 23, and 24—India’s eastern sky lights up at 4:45 AM. Venus, Saturn, and the Moon form a rare dawn parade that rewards those who rise before the rest of the world.

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Lunar Edge

May 20 marks the Moon’s last quarter phase (5:28 PM IST), revealing crater shadows in razor-sharp relief. It’s the most underrated night for telescope lovers—and the clearest window into lunar geology.

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3° Encounter

On May 22, the Moon swings just 3° from Saturn, creating a perfectly spaced celestial duet. With Venus glimmering just below, the scene is like a cosmic haiku—brief, balanced, beautiful.

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Glow Below

The next morning, May 23, the Moon and Venus slide within 4° of each other. But it’s Earthshine—the soft blue glow on the Moon’s dark side—that steals the show, visible only with binoculars or sharp eyes.

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Dawn Trio

May 24 offers the week’s final act: the crescent Moon, Venus hugging the horizon, and Saturn above. It’s a triple-tier panorama best seen from rooftops, fields, or anywhere with a clear eastern view.

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Old Moon Glows

This Saturday’s sliver-thin Moon is the “old Moon in the new Moon’s arms”—a poetic name for the soft, pre-dawn arc glowing low in the east. A last glimpse before the Moon turns new and vanishes.

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Crow Spotting

Corvus, the crow-shaped constellation, lurks southwest of Spica all week. It doesn’t look like a bird, but skywatchers who “arc to Arcturus” and “spike to Spica” will find it—an overlooked star cluster finally in view.

No Filter Needed

This isn’t a telescope-only event. A phone camera, a clear sky, and a little timing are enough to snap the Moon-Venus-Saturn trio against the glowing gradient of dawn.

India’s Stargazing Slot

Set your clock for 4:30–5:15 AM IST. That’s your window for witnessing one of 2025’s rarest and most delicate cosmic alignments. Sleep can wait. The sky won’t.

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