Amman, July 21 (Petra) -- Stargazers across Jordan will be able to observe a celestial event on Friday evening, as the Moon appears in a close conjunction with the red supergiant star Antares, visible to the naked eye throughout the Kingdom.
The Moon will appear alongside Antares at an apparent angular distance of approximately 1.2 degrees, making the two bodies look side-by-side across the night sky until they set after 1:45 AM on Saturday.
The optimal viewing window for observers is projected to run from 11:00 PM until the pair sets below the horizon.During the event, the Moon will be in a waxing gibbous phase with roughly 73 percent illumination, providing a stark visual contrast to the distinctive red hue of Antares.
Conjunctions are optical phenomena resulting from the alignment of celestial bodies along the line of sight from Earth, carrying no physical proximity in space or terrestrial impact.The visual pass also positions the Moon near the open star cluster NGC 6231, offering enhanced viewing opportunities for astrophotographers and amateur astronomers using binoculars or small telescopes.
The observation details were confirmed by Jordanian Astronomical Society President Ammar Sakaji, who noted that the event requires no specialized equipment for general viewing, though optical aids will reveal finer stellar details within the surrounding constellation.
//Petra// AA
