Look up! Moon, Mars and Venus to form triangular formation on Thursday night in Singapore's sky

SINGAPORE — People in Singapore will be able to see the moon and the planets Mars and Venus closely grouped in a triangular formation on Thursday evening (June 22), according to the Science Centre Observatory.

From around 7.30pm to 9pm, the three celestial bodies will be apart by around four degrees in the western sky.

The proximity means that viewers will be able to obscure the sighting by sticking up three of their fingers on their outstretched arm.

The phenomenon can be viewed without the use of any equipment, though binoculars can be used to enhance the viewing experience, provided weather conditions remain clear at the time.

The last time the three celestial bodies appeared close together was in late May 2023, according to a spokesman from the Science Centre.

The phenomenon, where objects appear close together in the sky, is referred to as a conjunction.

"There are varying forms of conjunctions between planets, moon or other astronomical objects almost every month," said the spokesman. "Conjunctions occur regularly because most planets and the moon lie near the ecliptic, the imaginary line traced out by the sun as it moves across the sky."

The next time the moon, Mars and Venus will appear in a close formation is in early February 2024, the spokesman said, adding that the conjunction will be difficult to see.

The team at the Science Centre Observatory uses open source software such as Stellarium, which simulates the movement of celestial objects in the night sky, to predict such sightings.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.