Planetary Alignment Will Create Smiley Face in Texas Skies

Texans, get ready to smile at the sky. On the morning of Friday, April 25, a rare and dazzling celestial event will grace the Lone Star State. But you'll have to really set the your clocks because this event will only be viewable for a short window of time!

Just after sunset, two bright planets—Venus and Jupiter—will align perfectly with a crescent Moon to form a glowing ‘smiley face’ above the western horizon. It’ll be a stargazer's delight and a moment of cosmic charm that’s best viewed with clear skies and a wide-open view.

According to NASA, this is known as "Earthshine," when a soft glow of sunlight reflected from Earth that illuminates the dark side of the Moon- sounds pretty trippy, but it'll look absolutely stunning.

According to NASA, this is a rare alignment that doesn’t happen often and only lasts a short while as the planets slowly shift in the sky each night. Perhaps the best part of this is no telescope is needed! This cosmic grin should be visible to the naked eye under clear Texas skies—especially if you have a good view of the western horizon without too many trees or buildings in the way.

For those of us in El Paso, we should have a clear view of the smiley; which shouldn't freak anyone out like this celestial event freaked us out back in 2023!

NASA says the smiley will be visible for a brief window, about 45 minutes before sunrise at 6:24 a.m before the planets dip below the horizon. It might be a small moment, but it's the perfect excuse to step outside and look up for a bit!