Will there be a smiley face moon on April 25, 2025? The image above is making the rounds on social media. But is it true?
Will there be a smiley face moon on April 25, 2025?
If you’ve been on social media lately, you might have seen the claim that a smiley face moon will grace our skies on April 25, 2025. But is it true? Not exactly. While there will be a crescent moon in the sky before dawn on April 25 with two bright planets nearby, it won’t quite look like the images are portraying.
The biggest differences between reality and the image that’s circulating are that the two planets have a vastly different brightness, and they won’t just be peeking over the dark edge of the moon. Plus, the “smiley face” will be lying on its side.
Here’s what you WILL see on April 25
About 30 minutes before sunrise on April 25, 2025, the thin waning crescent moon will form a triangle with brilliant Venus and the much dimmer Saturn. Mercury will lie near the horizon and might be difficult to spot. Do you see a delicate glow on the unlit portion of the moon? That’s light reflected off Earth called earthshine. Chart via EarthSky.
The moon, Venus and Saturn
For a more accurate view of what you can see in the sky on the morning of April 25, check out the chart above. If you look toward the eastern horizon about an hour before sunrise, you’ll see the old crescent moon rising. It’s just two days from reaching new moon phase, so it will be about 8% lit. You might also see the dark part of the moon gently glowing with earthshine, which is light reflected from Earth. This glow will also take away from your perception of the moon being just a smile surrounded by darkness.
Next, notice the brilliant point of light that rose just before the moon. That’s Venus, the brightest planet from Earth’s perspective. The reason it looks so bright is because it’s relatively nearby in space and has a reflective atmosphere.
Then, if you look closely, and the sun hasn’t started to leak too much daylight into the sky, you’ll spot much dimmer Saturn, the “second eye.” Saturn makes a triangle with Venus and the moon.
And, just as a fun FYI, there are two other planets within this lovely view. But you won’t be able to see them because of how dim they are compared the the brightening dawn. Mercury is trailing the moon up from the horizon. And Neptune is between the moon and Saturn.
If you want a precise view of what the sky will look like from your house on the morning of April 25, try Stellarium online.
Bottom line: Will you see a smiley face moon on April 25, 2025? See a chart and get accurate information here showing what you can see that morning.
Kelly Kizer Whitt
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About the Author:
Kelly Kizer Whitt – EarthSky’s nature and travel vlogger on YouTube – writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She’s been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.