Watching Jupiter slip behind the Moon from Moscow on May 17 will be tricky because daylight is already bright and the planet will sit low on the western horizon. This update follows a report from the Moscow Planetarium via TASS.
The event is set to be visible at 17:00 Moscow time for northern latitudes. During the occultation, Jupiter will disappear for about 20 minutes as the Moon covers it. With the Sun still high, the planet will be extremely hard to spot from the city, and the Moon will be close to the horizon, adding another hurdle for urban observers.
Observers will need a clear view toward the western sky and an unobstructed horizon. Binoculars should help locate the Moon first, and just a touch to the left will stand out a bright point that marks Jupiter. Against the bright daytime backdrop, it may be possible to glimpse two of Jupiter’s moons, Ganymede and Callisto, positioned below and to the right of the planet. Through strong binoculars, Jupiter may appear as a small, slightly flattened disk, according to the scientists. Nearby, watch for the Moon in the same field of view to confirm the timing of the occultation and to help establish scale and perspective in daylight conditions.
Earlier notes from paleontologists referenced the ancient habitats associated with what some described as didactic fossils or remnants from 550 million years ago, offering a curious contrast to the celestial event being discussed.