Mary's Readings

08/31/2025

08/16/2025

Mark your calendars!

The Moon is headed for a close encounter with the Seven Sisters.
In the early hours of August 16 and 17, look toward the eastern horizon just after midnight. There, you’ll witness a celestial meetup between the Moon and the Pleiades cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters – a formation of hot, blue stars born from the same cosmic cloud over 100 million years ago.

Though the Moon won’t eclipse the cluster this time, it will pass strikingly close, creating a rare visual pairing in the predawn sky. On August 16, the Moon will appear just above and to the right of the cluster. By the next night, it will have shifted to the lower left – tracing a graceful arc past one of the night sky’s most beloved sights.

The Pleiades usually appear as a misty little dipper to the naked eye – but binoculars or a telescope will reveal dozens of stars, some enveloped in delicate clouds of interstellar dust. The Moon will be in its third-quarter phase, casting just enough light to illuminate without overwhelming the nearby starlight.

And there’s a bonus: Uranus will also be in the same part of the sky – a tiny aqua-blue dot, visible through a telescope near the cluster.
If you're trying to spot the Pleiades for the first time, try using a stargazing app or the “averted vision” trick – looking slightly to the side of the cluster can make it pop out more clearly in your peripheral view.

These moments are reminders of the quiet rhythm of the cosmos, and the beauty that plays out above us every night.

So set your alarm, grab some binoculars, and step outside.
The Moon and the Seven Sisters will be waiting.