Moon and Pleiades star cluster to align in Arab skies

A visual astronomical phenomenon will occur at 04:11 AM Mecca time on Wednesday, as a waning gibbous moon aligns with the Pleiades star cluster. The conjunction will be visible across Saudi Arabia and much of the Arab world.

Majed Abu Zahra, President of the Jeddah Astronomy Society, noted that the moon and the cluster will appear side-by-side with an angular separation of approximately one degree. While the event can be observed with the naked eye, binoculars are recommended for a clearer view of the cluster's stars. However, the brightness of the moon may obscure some of the fainter stars in the cluster.

The Pleiades, also known as the ‘Seven Sisters’ and cataloged as M45, is an open star cluster located in the constellation Taurus, roughly 440 light-years from Earth. Abu Zahra clarified that the proximity is purely optical, as the moon is approximately 384,000 kilometers from Earth, whereas the cluster is hundreds of light-years away. He added that the event is a visual phenomenon and will not affect weather or climate conditions.