"Tonight: The Moon Joins the Pleiades in the Night Sky"

On Friday, February 16, the moon will meet the Pleiades star cluster, displaying the rare optical features Lunar X and Lunar V, visible with telescopes. The moon and Pleiades will be visible together from New York City at around 6:12 p.m. EST and will disappear from view at around 1:31 a.m. EST on Saturday. The Pleiades, located around 44 light-years from Earth, is an open cluster with around 1,000 stars, and its visibility has played a significant role in various cultures and mythologies. The Lunar X and Lunar V features are the result of sunlight falling on specific lunar surface features, and those interested in observing this event are encouraged to use telescopes or binoculars.