Will the Sky Actually Smile at New York? Not Exactly…

If you've been scrolling through social media lately, you may have stumbled upon some viral posts hyping up a “smiling face” in the sky this Friday, April 25. The so-called “Smile Conjunction” is being billed as a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event where the moon and two planets line up to form an actual smiley face in the sky.

Well... that's not exactly true.

Let’s be clear: something cool is happening Friday morning, and if you're up early with a clear sky, it’ll be well worth a look. But like many things on the internet, the reality isn’t quite as dramatic, or meme-worthy as the posts make it out to be.

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What Is Actually Happening?

We’re getting a triple conjunction in the eastern sky just before sunrise. That’s when three celestial bodies appear close together from our vantage point on Earth. In this case, you’ll see:

• A slim crescent moon

• A very bright Venus

• A much dimmer Saturn

Together, these will form a small celestial triangle, but not quite the smiley face suggested on the internet. With a little imagination and a head tilt, maybe you’ll catch the vibe of a tiny space smile.

But Will the Sky Actually Look Like It’s Smiling?

The quick answer. No. The viral images going around featuring an oversized crescent moon with glowing “eyes” perched perfectly above it are almost entirely fabricated or digitally altered. In reality:

• The moon will not appear massive and cartoon-like.

• Venus and Saturn won’t be positioned on top of the moon.

• And the smiley-face effect? That’s a stretch unless you're really committed to the bit.

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So Why Bother Watching?

Because it's still a beautiful sight. The internet might exaggerate, but the stars? They just show up and shine.