Whenever the moon shines near the Pleiades in December and January, it's nearly full. And on Thursday night, Jan. 9, the 10-day old moon will actually pass through the Pleiades. Most North American observers will be able to watch as the moon passes in front of more than a few stars in this cluster (called an occultation) within a few hours, amid the dazzling lunar glare.
Typically, an occultation of a specific star is not a "hit-or-miss" proposition; each month the moon will pass in front of that star as seen from various parts of our planet. Such a pattern is called a series and can last a few years or more.
For North America, the current spectacular series began Nov. 16, when the Pleiades disappeared at the bright edge and reappeared from behind the dark edge of a waning gibbous moon. As far as the United States and Canada are concerned, the most favorable passages of the moon across the Pleiades during 2025 will come on Jan. 9, and again on Feb. 6 — specifically favoring the central and western US — and during the morning hours of July 20. There will be other opportunities in 2026 and 2027.
