If you look up at the Moon tonight, 9 January 2025, you'll see it dance with a beautiful blue star cluster known as the Pleiades.
The nearly-full Moon is positioned in the sky close to the Pleiades tonight.
And the two bodies will get closer and closer together in the night sky as midnight approaches, into the early hours before dawn, tomorrow morning.
Close to the Moon and the Pleiades are Jupiter and the famous winter constellation Orion, including its red giant star Betelgeuse.
It's been a great week or so to kick off stargazing in 2025, with Venus and the crescent Moon wowing observers on 3 January 2025.
Venus and Saturn begin their own close approach on 10 January 2025, getting closer and closer to one another in the night sky until 18 January, when they'll be separated by just 2.2° in the sky.
Mars is getting better, too, over the coming week, and on 13 January will dance with the full Wolf Moon, eventually skimming the northern part of the Moon in the early hours of 14 January.
But tonight's stargazing treat will be the Moon and the Pleiades.
Seeing the Moon and Pleiades
The Pleiades, also known as M45, is a beautiful blue star cluster that can be seen with the naked eye.
It can look like a 'smudge' in the night sky to the naked eye, but even a modest pair of binoculars will give you a beautiful view of its stars.
You can see the Moon and the Pleiades side-by-side in the night sky on 9 January, if you look south around 20:30 UTC.
The Moon at this point is 81% lit, meaning it's approaching full Moon.
The Pleiades and the Moon will get closer and closer as the evening goes on, and the Moon will pass across some of the cluster's brighter stars in the early hours of 10 January.
Orion and Jupiter
Below the Moon and the Pleiades you'll find the constellation Orion, the hunter, a familiar winter sight.
It's notable for its three belt stars, which are a great target to observe with binoculars or a telescope.
You should even be able to catch a glimpse of the Orion Nebula hanging below the belt stars.
This nebula is a distant cloud of gas and dust, a place where stars are born.
Between Orion and the Moon, you'll be able to see a bright 'star', which is the planet Jupiter.
Jupiter reached opposition in December 2024, meaning this is good time to observe the planet.
Observe Jupiter with a telescope and you'll be able to catch a glimpse of its stripy atmosphere and even its four large Galilean moons.
Look south at around 20:30 on 10 January and you'll see another wonderful sight: the nearly-full Moon next to the Pleiades cluster and Jupiter.
Also visible close-by will be the V-shaped Hyades star cluster (shaped like a 'V' on its side) and, again the beautiful winter constellation Orion.
Next week sees Mars dance with the full Moon, but if you're looking for something to observe in the meantime, head out this weekend and take time to look up at some of these amazing winter sights in the night sky.
If you've been out observing tonight, share your experiences and any photos with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
