Tech Desk 
Jul 29, 2025
Sky watchers in Pakistan are in for a rare treat on Wednesday, when the waxing crescent moon will shine beside Spica, the 'gem' of Virgo.
A binary system, Spica is not just one star; it is two stars orbiting each other every four days and shines over 12,000 times brighter than the sun.
The moon itself will feature several notable landmarks; the Mare Crisium (Sea of Crises) will appear as a small dark oval, while Mare Serenitatis (Sea of Serenity) and Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquillity) make up the bulk of its surface.
When will it be in Pakistan?
In Karachi and most areas of Pakistan, the waxing crescent moon will rise at 10:03am and set at 10:13pm, and will be visible for over 12 hours.
The best time to see the alignment is within the hour after sunset, when the moon will be just 32% illuminated and hanging low in the southwestern sky.
How to watch moon and Spica?
Look about 20 degrees above the southwestern horizon just after dusk, roughly the height of two clenched fists held at arm’s length. Spica will appear as a bright point of light less than 4 degrees to the moon’s upper left. (Your little finger at arm’s length measures about 1 degree for scale.)
With a telescope of 4 inches or more, stargazers can also spot the Theophilus and Cyrillus craters, including Theophilus’ dramatic central peak created by an ancient asteroid impact.
