On August 20, 2024, for all of us around the globe, the moon was up by about an hour after sunset and hung near Saturn in the sky. It occulted – or passed in front of – Saturn for observers from Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Europe at 3 UTC on August 21. Enjoy this gallery from our talented community of photographers. Also, notice the moon’s brightness. It looks so bright because it was just one day past Monday’s supermoon! For more sky events, visit EarthSky’s night sky guide or watch a 1-minute video about the moon and Saturn. And on the topic of Saturn … did you know its rings are disappearing?
Images of the occultation
Images of the moon and Saturn
Video of the moon and Saturn
Misael Figueroa of the Astronomical Society of the Caribbean, shared this video from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, and wrote: “It was an amazing view through the eyepiece of my telescope”. Thank you!
Bottom line: Did you miss the moon and Saturn close together on August 20, 2024? Here’s a gallery full of images of the event.
Cristina Ortiz - based in Granada, Spain - has been an EarthSky editor since 2021. Cristina speaks for the animals with her weekly ‘lifeform’ videos at EarthSky YouTube. Discover the most fascinating facts about all the beings with whom we share Earth. Accompany Cristina in this trip to know everything about live on Earth, from the smallest creature to the biggest one, found on land, air or water. Are you ready for the adventure? Cristina has a master’s degree in translation and interpreting, specializing in science and technology. "Since I was a kid," she says, "I could feel that passion for science and communication."
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