Rare celestial event: Moon hides the star Regulus tonight

Tonight, astronomy enthusiasts have the chance to witness a rare and fascinating celestial event: a lunar occultation of the star Regulus.

This occurs when the Moon passes directly in front of the bright star, temporarily hiding it from view.

Unlike sunsets, where light fades slowly, the lack of a lunar atmosphere causes Regulus to vanish instantly, like a light switch being turned off.

Regulus, the 'Heart of the Lion' in the constellation Leo, is a massive blue-white star located 79 light-years away.

Because the Moon is relatively close to Earth, this event is highly location-specific.

For the best experience, experts recommend using binoculars or a small telescope to watch the star disappear behind the Moon’s dark leading edge and reappear at the bright trailing edge.

If you are positioned at the very edge of the visibility path, you might even witness a 'flickering' effect caused by the Moon's rugged craters.

Check local astronomical resources to see if this spectacular 'star and crescent' pairing is visible from your region tonight.