Amman, Dec 31 (Petra) -- The skies of the Kingdom will witness a rare astronomical phenomenon Wednesday evening until dawn tomorrow at the start of the new year when a magnificent conjunction between the moon and a star cluster known as the Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters, will shine brightly on the horizon, an event visible to the naked eye, according to astronomy experts.

"This is not the only spectacle that will grace the Kingdom's skies," they said in remarks to Petra, adding that the first supermoon of the year is expected to appear on January 3.

The supermoon will reach its peak on Saturday at 1:03 PM Jordan time, said Ammar Sakaji, President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS), adding that it is the first in a series of three supermoons that will illuminate the skies this year, with the same phenomenon occurring on November 24 and December 24.

The "supermoon" phenomenon, he explains, occurs when the moon is near its perigee, the point in its orbit closest to Earth, making it appear larger and brighter than usual.

In the case of the upcoming "Wolf Moon," the distance between the moon and Earth will reach approximately 362,312 kilometers. Astronomical calculations indicate that the moon will pass through its perigee at 9:43 PM tomorrow, Thursday, about a day and a half before it becomes fully full, he said.

Despite being classified as a supermoon, it will be the smallest and least bright compared to other supermoons that will appear later in 2026, with an apparent diameter of approximately 28.98 arcminutes.

Qais Al-Omari, Director of Training at the Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education for Western Asia, said that sunlight undergoes several physical processes as it travels through Earth's atmosphere, most notably the phenomenon of scattering that makes the sun red at sunrise/sunset.

He explained that atmospheric gases and suspended dust particles scatter light, especially shorter wavelengths like blue and violet, while longer wavelengths like red and orange are more easily transmitted.

As the light travels through the atmosphere, it also undergoes some refraction, with some wavelengths bending and continuing towards the moon. As a result of this scattering and refraction, the light reaching the moon is filtered, lacking shorter wavelengths and rich in longer wavelengths like red and orange. This gives the moon its characteristic dark copper or deep red hue, known in tradition as the "blood moon." Therefore, the moon appears red or orange near the horizon, he said.

Ibrahim Daaja, an expert in astronomical heritage at JAS, said the supermoon appears in winter, especially during the 40-day period known as Al-Murabba’aniyah, the 40-day winter period, which begins with the winter solstice on December 21, 2025.

He said Arabs have long relied on the conjunction of the moon with the Pleiades star cluster to determine agricultural seasons and rainfall. This phenomenon is associated with popular proverbs such as: "The first conjunction brings the beginning of intense cold," referring to the conjunction of the 11-day-old moon with the Pleiades, "The ninth conjunction brings biting cold," referring to the conjunction of the 9-day-old moon with the Pleiades, and "The fifth conjunction brings abundant spring," indicating the flourishing of spring.

Daaja explained that the moon and the Pleiades were not merely celestial decorations, but a vital astronomical calendar upon which Bedouin people relied to organize their migrations and harvests. The rising of the Pleiades was known as the "balance of the year," indicating planting and harvesting times, as reflected in the popular proverb: "If the Pleiades rise in the morning, prepare the harvest."

//Petra//SS

31/12/2025 17:20:03