Crescent Moon, Venus, Pleiades Align in Rare Predawn Triangle

On the morning of June 22, 2025, skywatchers in the U.S. can observe a rare and stunning celestial alignment of the waning crescent moon, Venus, and the Pleiades star cluster in the eastern predawn sky. Venus will shine brightly at magnitude –4.2 beneath the 13% illuminated crescent moon, with the Pleiades cluster visible nearby, forming a striking triangular arrangement easily seen with the naked eye. This event offers an excellent opportunity to observe earthshine—the faint illumination of the moon's darkened side caused by sunlight reflected from Earth’s surface—adding to the visual spectacle. The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, is one of the closest open star clusters to our solar system and appears to twinkle near the other two celestial bodies despite their vast distances apart. Observers are advised to look about an hour before sunrise, avoid city lights, and use binoculars for an enhanced view of the star cluster and moon’s features. This alignment will also be visible again the next morning, June 23, providing additional chances for viewing.