The moon buzzes the beehive later this week. (Image credit: Foreground: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio. Background: Lorand Fenyes/Stocktrek Images via Getty Images) Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Get the Space.com Newsletter Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!
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An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterLook to the southern sky as darkness falls on March 27 to see the thickening form of the waxing gibbous moon glowing close to the stars of the Beehive Cluster (M44) at the heart of the constellation Cancer, the crab.
The 77%-lit moon will begin the night less than 2 degrees above the stars of the M44 open cluster, which plays host to roughly 1,000 gravitationally bound stars. The lunar disk will sweep right-to-left across the upper-stars of the Beehive over the course of the night, from the perspective of viewers in the northern hemisphere, at least, making its closest approach at 23:54 EDT (0354 GMT on March 28).
Article continues belowA pair of binoculars can help reveal up to 20 of the cluster's brightest stars, while a 6-inch telescope will bring dozens more stars into view. The cluster formed around 600-700 million years ago, making it relatively young in the context of the 4.6 billion year history of our galaxy, according to NASA.
Turn your telescope on the moon to see the dark expanses of lunar mare scarring its ancient surface, where lakes of liquid lava flooded impact craters before hardening in the space environment. March 27 is also an excellent time to spot the shadowed forms of Copernicus and Tycho — two colossal impact craters surrounded by streaks of bright reflected material
How to find Copernicus and Tycho crater on the waxing gibbous moon. (Image credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)
Copernicus can be found close to the line separating night from day on the lunar surface, known as the terminator, while Tycho's 53-mile-wide (85-kilometer) impact basin is located far to the south, featuring a shadowed eastern rim and pronounced central peak.
Want to see the moon up close and witness the ancient light of star clusters shimmer before your eyes? Then be sure to check out our picks of the best telescopes and binoculars for exploring the night sky. While you're at it, why not take a peek at our guide to observing the lunar surface?
Get the Space.com NewsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsEditor's Note: If you captured an image of the moon with M44 and want to share it with Space.com's readers, then please e-mail your photo(s), comments, name and location to [email protected].
Anthony WoodSkywatching WriterAnthony Wood joined Space.com in April 2025 after contributing articles to outlets including IGN, New Atlas and Gizmodo. He has a passion for the night sky, science, Hideo Kojima, and human space exploration, and can’t wait for the day when astronauts once again set foot on the moon.
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