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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →About an hour after sunset on Thursday, October 15, 2026, point a telescope toward the low southwestern sky. The 30%-illuminated waxing crescent Moon will be near Scorpius and Sagittarius’ Teapot. On the Moon, look in the western part of Mare Fecunditatis for the Messier–Messier A double crater: Messier is the eastern crater, Messier A is west of it, and a bright, tail-like ejecta ray stretches west from the pair.
When and where to look on October 15
The exact times below apply to the reference location at 40° N, 90° W, so observers elsewhere should treat them as a guide rather than a universal timetable.
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| Event | Time or condition |
|---|---|
| Sunrise | 7:11 A.M. |
| Sunset | 6:20 P.M. |
| Moonrise | 12:25 P.M. |
| Moonset | 9:11 P.M. |
| Moon phase | Waxing crescent, 30% illuminated |
Begin roughly one hour after the 6:20 P.M. sunset, when the Moon is still low in the southwest and the sky is dark enough for comfortable lunar observing. The Moon sets at 9:11 P.M. at the reference location, leaving a limited evening window. Buildings, trees and hills can block a low Moon, so choose a site with an unobstructed southwestern horizon.
How to locate the Messier double crater
- Find the crescent Moon. Look low in the southwest after twilight begins. It will sit above the back of Scorpius and near the familiar Teapot pattern of Sagittarius.
- Identify Mare Crisium. This is the rounder, prominent dark lunar plain visible toward the Moon’s eastern side.
- Move south to Mare Fecunditatis. Mare Fecunditatis lies below Mare Crisium in this view. Switch to a telescope at moderate magnification and inspect the plain’s western region.
- Pick out the paired craters. Messier is east and Messier A west. Their separation is about 4 miles (6 kilometers), close enough to look like a matched set but far enough to resolve individually with suitable lunar magnification.
- Trace the bright ray. A long, white ejecta streak extends westward from the pair. This unusual tail-like feature is the easiest confirmation that you have found the right craters.
What makes Messier and Messier A unusual
Most neighboring lunar craters do not show such a clear two-stage impact story. The accepted explanation described by Astronomy magazine is one oblique impact: a comet nucleus or asteroid struck the Moon to create Messier, skipped across the surface like a stone on water, and then formed Messier A. The two scars are therefore “fraternal twins,” produced by one incoming body rather than by two unrelated impacts.
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The grazing geometry also explains the directional ejecta. Material thrown out during the impact formed the conspicuous white ray that runs west from the craters, giving the pair a comet-tail appearance. Alison Klesman, senior editor of Astronomy magazine, described it as “This unique pair of craters was created by just one impactor that skipped along the lunar surface, leaving a cometlike tail of ejecta.”
Compare the two craters through a telescope
The point of tonight’s observation is not merely to check off a named feature. Spend time comparing the siblings rather than assuming they are identical.
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| Feature | Messier | Messier A |
|---|---|---|
| Position | East of the pair | West of Messier |
| Separation | About 4 miles (6 kilometers) between the two craters | |
| Shape | Compare its outline with Messier A; the pair are not identical | Compare its outline with Messier; the pair are not identical |
| Depth | Examine apparent depth under the evening illumination | Examine apparent depth under the evening illumination |
| Surroundings | A bright ejecta ray extends westward from the pair | |
Low-angle sunlight can emphasize rims, floors and walls, while changing lunar illumination alters which details stand out. On this waxing crescent evening, adjust focus carefully and let the image settle whenever the Moon appears to shimmer from atmospheric turbulence.
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Do you need a telescope?
You can see the waxing crescent Moon without optical aid, and binoculars may help you orient yourself around Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis. The paired craters themselves are small lunar targets, however, and the observing guidance calls for a telescope to examine them and their ejecta ray. A small amateur telescope is the practical minimum; use a stable mount, begin with a lower-power eyepiece to locate Mare Fecunditatis, then increase magnification until the crater pair remains sharp.
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- Set up where the southwestern horizon is clear.
- Allow the telescope to reach outdoor temperature before judging fine detail.
- Use a red flashlight for charts and controls so your eyes remain comfortable.
- Do not look at the Sun through a telescope; observe only after sunset.
If you cannot find the pair
The Moon is hidden or too low
Move to higher ground or a site with fewer obstructions, and start as soon as the sky darkens. Because the Moon sets at 9:11 P.M. at 40° N, 90° W, delaying too long can put the target behind terrain or below the horizon.
You are looking at the wrong lunar plain
Return to the rounder Mare Crisium, then move to the darker plain below it, Mare Fecunditatis. Search its western section rather than the Moon’s bright outer limb.
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The craters look like one mark
Reduce magnification to steady the view, refocus, then increase power gradually. Look for the east–west separation and the westward white ray; the ray is often easier to recognize than the individual crater floors.
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Why this date matters
The Moon’s 30% waxing-crescent phase places it in the evening sky and provides a changing pattern of sunlight across Mare Fecunditatis. Observing on October 15 is therefore a timed opportunity: the Moon is visible after sunset, but it will not remain above the horizon all night. Record a sketch or note of the pair’s apparent shapes and depths; repeating the observation on another lunar phase will show how illumination changes their appearance.
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