5 Sky Events This Week: Moon Looks Bullish, Morning and Evening Stars Shine
As the moon moves next to the red eye of Taurus, Mercury appears at sunrise.
This week, the moon barrels through the celestial bull and winks out a star, while the gods of love and war part ways.
Both stellar groupings are among the closest clusters to Earth. The Pleiades lie some 300 light-years away, while the Hyades are a mere 160 light-years distant.
Rising two hours before the sun, the innermost planet will climb to about 20 degrees above the eastern horizon by about 30 minutes before sunrise.
Though it appears as just a faint dot to the unaided eye, Mercury stands out well against the glare of the rising sun when viewed with binoculars.
The star Aldebaran will appear only about a half degree from the moon, making for a stunning portrait whether you choose to photograph
