Mercury at Half Phase 2025
Date: 4 Dec
Best Time: 13:35 IST
Visible from: New Delhi (and across India)
Mercury shines at magnitude –0.4 during its morning apparition — a tricky but magical planet to catch in the dawn sky!
Look east near sunrise, where Mercury climbs up to about 19° above the horizon on 8 Dec.
Let the cosmos surprise you!
Tag your moon & star shots!
#Mercury #MorningSky #AstronomyVibes #Stargazing #NightSkyIndia #CelestialEvent #LookUp
Moon Meets the Seven Sisters 2025
Date: 11 Sep
Best Time: From 6:12 PM IST
Visible from: New Delhi (and across India)
Watch the sky light up as the Moon glides close to the Pleiades (M45), coming within just 55.4 arcminutes! A rare and graceful celestial encounter.
Look east, about 46° above the horizon, to catch this cosmic waltz as our Moon brushes past the Seven Sisters.
Let the cosmos surprise you!
Tag your moon & star shots!
#MoonAndM45 #Pleiades #NightSkyIndia #Astrophotography #SkyWatch #NewDelhiNights #CelestialEvent #LookUp
Pheonicid Meteor Shower 2025
The Pheonicids will peak on 2 December 2025, active from 28 November to 9 December.
From New Delhi:
Visible after 5:45 PM rising in the east
Best views around 9:00 PM when the radiant in Phoenix is highest
Expect modest but bright trails lighting up the night sky. A rare southern-sky meteor shower worth watching.
Mars at Apogee – November 30, 2025
Time: November 30, 2025, at 15:39 IST
Event: Mars reaches apogee, its furthest point from Earth in its orbit.
Distance: Approximately 2.42 AU from Earth.
Effect: Mars appears smallest and dimmest, with an angular diameter of just 3.9 arcseconds.
Observation challenge: Mars will be very close to the Sun (about 10.4° separation), near solar conjunction, making it difficult or impossible to observe at this time.
This marks the low point in Mars’s apparent size and brightness during its orbital cycle, a natural part of its changing visibility from Earth.
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn – November 30, 2025
Date & Time: November 30, 2025, at 00:48 IST
Event: The Moon and Saturn share the same right ascension with the Moon 3°45′ north of Saturn (appulse).
Moon phase: 9 days old, mag –12.3 in Pisces
Saturn brightness: mag 0.8 in Aquarius
Visibility from New Delhi:
First visible around 17:56 IST, 50° above south-eastern horizon at dusk
Highest in the sky at 19:26 IST, 57° above southern horizon
Observable until about 00:24 IST, before setting below 11° above western horizon
Viewing note: Too widely separated for typical telescope fields; easily seen together with naked eye or binoculars
Enjoy this elegant evening pairing of the bright Moon and Saturn lighting up the night sky!
Close Approach of the Moon and Saturn – November 29, 2025
Date & Time: November 29, 2025, at 21:42 IST
The Moon and Saturn will pass within 3°18′ of each other, making a beautiful close approach.
Moon phase: 9 days old, magnitude –12.3 in Pisces.
Saturn brightness: magnitude 0.8 in Aquarius.
Visibility from New Delhi:
First visible around 17:56 IST, 50° above the south-eastern horizon as dusk fades.
Highest point in the sky at 19:30 IST, 57° above the southern horizon.
Observable until about 00:28 IST, sinking below 11° above the western horizon.
They will be too far apart to fit in a typical telescope’s field of view but easily seen together with the naked eye or binoculars.
Around closest approach, the pair will share the same right ascension, forming a conjunction.
🌠 November Orionid Meteor Shower – Nov 28, 2025
The November Orionids will peak on Nov 28, with dark skies favoring observations after midnight.
🔭 Viewing from New Delhi:
Active: Nov 13 – Dec 6
Visible after 19:18 IST, till dawn (06:25 IST)
Best time: around 02:00 IST
Radiant: Orion constellation
Peak: ~2 meteors/hour (low rate)
Moon: Sets at 00:25, so no interference 🌙
Though modest in activity, this shower adds a subtle sparkle to Orion’s sky – perfect for dedicated stargazers! ✨
Moon at First Quarter – November 28, 2025
Time: November 28, 2025, at 12:29 IST
Phase: The Moon reaches first quarter, appearing half illuminated.
Visibility from New Delhi:
Rises at 12:41 IST
Sets at 00:02 IST
Prominent in the evening sky, high around sunset, then sets before midnight
Cycle: The Moon completes its orbit around Earth every 29.5 days, cycling through phases from new moon to full moon and back.
At first quarter, the Moon is best observed in the evening as it moves across the sky.
A perfect time to enjoy the half-lit lunar features in the evening!
The Hyades Cluster (Collinder 50) – November 27, 2025
Object: Hyades open star cluster (Collinder 50), magnitude 1.0, located in Taurus
Visibility from New Delhi:
Visible between 18:44 and 06:03 IST
Rises at 18:44 IST, 11° above eastern horizon
Culminates at 00:24 IST, 77° above southern horizon (highest point in the sky)
Sets below 11° above western horizon by 06:03 IST
Declination: +16°00′, best seen from the northern hemisphere (visible between 86°N and 54°S latitude)
Viewing: Easily visible to the naked eye; binoculars enhance the view
Note: Culmination time shifts about four minutes earlier each night after November 27
Lunar Occultation of Sigma Sagittarii (Nunki) – November 24, 2025
Date & Time: November 24, 2025, from 04:38 to 07:08 IST
Event: The Moon will pass in front of Sigma Sagittarii (Nunki), causing a lunar occultation.
Visibility: Observable from the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands.
Not visible from New Delhi.
The Moon’s proximity to Earth causes variation in its apparent position up to 2°, limiting occultation visibility to specific regions.
A close conjunction between the Moon and Nunki will be visible from a wider area, even where the occultation isn’t seen.
Viewing tip: Use binoculars during the disappearance (red zones) and reappearance (blue zones) phases where altitude and darkness permit.
A rare and fascinating lunar event best seen from specific southern locations!
