Early risers will be treated to a whimsical sight in the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, April 24, and Friday, April 25 — a rare planetary alignment that resembles a skewed “smiley face” in the sky.
Just before sunrise, a waning crescent Moon will align closely with the planets Venus and Saturn in what astronomers call a conjunction — when celestial bodies appear close together from Earth’s viewpoint. Depending on your location, the trio may vaguely form a tilted, pouty smile across the eastern horizon.
Though the resemblance to a grin is more playful than precise, the event is worth catching. Venus will shine brilliantly as the brightest object in the sky after the Moon, while Saturn appears slightly dimmer nearby. The Moon itself will be a thin sliver just days before the new Moon on April 27. Under dark skies, its full outline may still be faintly visible, illuminated by earthshine — sunlight reflected off Earth’s surface.
Mercury, low near the horizon, may also be spotted with some effort. And for those eager to extend their stargazing, Mars and Jupiter will be visible earlier in the night, trailing the Sun’s path.
Astronomy enthusiasts recommend a pair of binoculars or a small telescope to enhance the experience — especially for viewing Saturn’s iconic rings.
Venus will reach its brightest on April 27, and won’t be this luminous again until November 2026, making this week an especially stellar time to look up.
To find out exactly when and where to watch based on your location, check tools like TimeandDate or the Stellarium planetarium app.
