Songpi: Skygazers across Manipur and witnessed a stunning celestial display on Monday evening as a thin crescent Moon appeared exceptionally close to Venus just above the western horizon after sunset. The photo showing a glowing crescent with a bright star on top captured the same event.
According to astronomers, the phenomenon is a Moon-Venus conjunction. The bright object is not a star but Venus, the brightest planet, dominating the western sky. Tonight the 12 percent waxing crescent Moon passed within five degrees of Venus, making them look like a pair.
The event was even rarer in the afternoon. On Monday, the Moon passed directly in front of Venus, called a lunar occultation of Venus. The occultation was visible in daylight from Europe, Africa, Middle East and at dusk from southern Asia, including India.
For India, the occultation happened just before sunset. In Kolkata timing, disappearance was at 5:49 PM and reappearance at 6:24 PM IST. For Imphal, it was minutes earlier. After reappearing, Moon and Venus shone together for about an hour after sunset before setting.
Astronomers noted Venus is at peak brightness this week, reaching -4.8 magnitude on September 18, its brightest for the 2026 evening. This makes it easily visible even from bright cities and does not require telescopes.
Experts said there is no astrological alarm. It is a normal orbital alignment that happens every few months. The orange sunset glow seen in photos is due to scattered light after sunset, while the dark part of Moon also glows faintly due to Earthshine.
People in Northeasi India with a clear western horizon could see it till around 7:30 PM. Venus will remain prominent in the west all week after sunset, offering more chances to watch.
