A “smiley face” planetary alignment will light up skies across the world this Friday.
Known as a triple conjunction, the celestial event will bring Venus, Saturn and the crescent Moon into a triangular formation near the horizon.
The two planets will act as the eyes, while the crescent will form the mouth, said Nasa solar system ambassador Brenda Culbertson. Venus will be the brighter of the two planet.
The alignment will be visible for about an hour to anyone from Europe, parts of Africa and the Americas. However, it will not be visible from the Gulf region with the naked eye.
“The planets and the Moon will indeed be visible in the UAE sky, but the smiling face formation will not be seen in the UAE or any of the GCC countries,” Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society and member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, told The National.
He said Venus, Saturn and the waning crescent Moon would rise together in a compact group of no more than three degrees across the sky starting at 4am UAE time.
“The grouping will appear striking in the dawn sky, with the Moon leading ahead of the two planets,” he said. “As of 6am, with sunrise at 5.45am UAE time, the alignment will no longer be visible to the naked eye.”
At about 9am UAE time, the alignment will form a distinct smile-like pattern with Venus and Saturn as the eyes and the crescent Moon as the mouth. “But this will only be visible to observers in far western Europe, parts of Africa and the Americas," he said.
“The smile-shaped alignment will not be visible from the Arabian Gulf or the Arabian Peninsula, but we will still be able to enjoy seeing the bright planets and the crescent Moon before sunrise."
A cosmic week
The Lyrid meteor shower will also reach its peak this week, in the early hours of Wednesday, April 23, offering a chance to witness bright streaks of light dash across the sky.
The Lyrids, which originate from debris left behind by Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, are one of the oldest known meteor showers, with records of observations dating back more than 2,600 years.
While not the most intense of meteor showers, they are known for fast-moving meteors and the occasional bright fireball.
The next meteor shower will not be visible in the UAE until August, when the Perseids will light up the night skies. About 100 to 150 meteors are expected to streak across the skies.
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
The specs
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BMW M5 specs
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Andor
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
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Specs
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Stage 2
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix 4:18:30
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:06
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:06
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:08
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
