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Last night’s moon blotted out Saturn. Pics here!

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January 5, 2025

Moon blotted out Saturn: Crescent moon and Saturn, annotated, with Saturn some distance from the dark edge of the moon. — EarthSky’s Raúl Cortés wrote: “In Norway, it was possible to see the Saturn occultation. Here, the moon is getting close to Saturn.”

Last night’s moon passed in front of Saturn, creating an occultation visible from Europe, Africa, western Russia and eastern Greenland. Elsewhere in the world, a close conjunction between the moon and Saturn was widely seen. EarthSky’s Raúl Cortés – and others in the EarthSky community – caught the show. Photos here.

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When the moon blotted out Saturn

Crescent moon and Saturn, annotated, with Saturn very close to the dark edge of the moon. — Just before the occultation. “Closer and closer,” Raúl Cortés wrote.

Crescent moon and Saturn, with Saturn behind the moon. — The moon is in front of Saturn. Raúl Cortés explained: “And now Saturn is gone, out of view. A star to the right of the moon indicates where Saturn may be behind the moon.”

Crescent moon and Saturn, annotated, with Saturn emerging from the lighted edge of the moon. — The occultatioan ends. Raúl Cortés wrote: “And finally the moment when the planet came out at sight from occultation behind the moon.”

Bottom line: Photos of the January 4, 2025, occultation of Saturn by the moon.

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January 5, 2025

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Deborah Byrd

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Our Editor-in-Chief Deborah Byrd works to keep all the astronomy balls in the air between EarthSky's website, YouTube page and social media platforms. She's the primary editor of our popular daily newsletter and a frequent host of EarthSky livestreams. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.