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