The Space Museum announced today that it will livestream the lunar occultation of Venus appearing in Hong Kong on March 24 when the Moon passes between the Earth and Venus, causing Venus to vanish temporarily from view.

From 7.30pm to 9pm that evening, the museum will broadcast the astronomical phenomenon live on its YouTube channel and Facebook page LCSD Plusss, and explain the astronomy behind the lunar occultation of Venus.

Just before the occultation starts at 7.47pm, both Venus and the Moon will be seen dangling above the northwestern horizon. Binoculars or telescopes can be used to observe the duo more clearly.

As the Moon will be just 3.8 degrees above the horizon when Venus reappears at 8.53pm, observers are advised to go to a place with an unobstructed view towards the northwestern horizon to get a clear sight of the event.

Since the orbital plane of the Moon is nearly coplanar with those of the planets, a lunar occultation in which the Moon blocks the light from a planet from view happens from time to time.

Moreover, as Venus is the brightest celestial object in the solar system after the Sun and the Moon, the lunar occultation of Venus is easy to observe and has gained the attention of astronomy lovers.

The last lunar occultation of Venus observable in Hong Kong was in 2010, and the next one will be in 2063.