A Mysterious Lunar X And V Will Shine On The Moon Tonight — Don’t Miss This Rare Event!

Due to a rare optical event called the Lunar X, a large X will be visible on the moon’s surface tonight. It will also be accompanied by a large V – famous optical feature.

It won’t be easily visible to the naked eye. However, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope will give a good view of the event, visible at 23:00 GMT (18:00 EST) for around four hours.

What Is A Lunar X?

A Lunar X is a type of ‘clair-obscur’, a trick of the light that creates an illusion as a pattern of shadow is perfectly cast on the surface. The X will be visible at the point of the moon where four of the craters of the moon, Purbach, La Caille, Blanchinus and Regiomontanus, are situated.

As the moon orbits, it moves between the Earth and the sun. This looks to us like different amounts of the surface are being illuminated from our vantage point on Earth. And this is what gives the moon its phases (full moon, third quarter).

When we can only see a section of the surface, the moon appears to have a dark and light side. The line between those light and dark sides is known as a ‘terminator line’. Features look different when they are close to the terminator line because the sun is low on the horizon. Small features may cast long shadows easily seen from Earth when the terminator line passes over a certain region. This is what gives the X effect at certain times of the month.

A Lunar V

North of the terminator line will be another, very similar effect, a Lunar V. This is also caused by lunar features casting shadows, this time in a V shape. It is easy to follow the terminator line to find both an X and a V where light meets dark.

How To See The Lunar X And V?

The X and V will be visible on 6 March at around 23:00 GMT (18:00 EST). The moon will be low on the horizon in the UK, and the phenomenon will also be visible in the United States. For the best chances of seeing the effect, try to stay away from light pollution, and give your eyes a minute to adjust to the low light conditions.