Full Breakdown
Lunar Occultation of Regulus Lights Up Eastern North America on April 25 2026
4/25/2026, 11:56:30 AM
Moon Swallows Regulus
On the evening of Saturday, April 25 2026, a 70 % illuminated waxing-gibbous Moon will pass directly in front of Regulus, the first-magnitude star that crowns Leo. The star will vanish behind the Moon’s dark limb and reappear about an hour later.
Visibility & Timing
A full occultation—where Regulus is completely hidden—will be visible in six eastern states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina. In Philadelphia the star disappears at 8:53 p.m. EDT and returns at 9:16 p.m.; in Raleigh the interval runs from 8:32 p.m. to 9:34 p.m. A grazing occultation will be seen across 18 states, including New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Florida, where the Moon’s edge merely clips the star. The International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA) supplies ingress and egress times for 660 locations and a visibility map.
Background
Regulus (Alpha Leonis) lies only a few degrees from the ecliptic, shines at magnitude +1, and ranks as the 21st brightest star. The Moon’s path crosses Regulus roughly every nine years; the current series ends on December 28 2026.
Official Forecasts
Space.com, Forbes, WRAL and Universe Today all publish the same schedule. Space.com lists times for 15 cities and a path graphic; Forbes gives exact times for the six full-occultation states; WRAL offers a Raleigh timetable and viewing tips; Universe Today maps the occultation footprint across dusk, twilight and daytime zones.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Published times differ by a minute: Space.com lists Philadelphia’s disappearance at 8:52 p.m., Forbes at 8:53 p.m.; Baltimore’s start is 8:44 p.m. versus 8:43 p.m. Sources also disagree on Regulus’s distance, citing 77 light-years (Universe Today) and 79 light-years (Space.com). No source provides real-time cloud-cover forecasts.
Scientific Significance
Precise timings refine the Moon’s orbital model and improve positional accuracy. The occultation also tests Regulus’s suspected white-dwarf companion (separation 0.015´´) via rapid “winks.” Grazing paths map lunar limb topography, revealing mountains and valleys that momentarily block the star.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Regulus will suddenly and dramatically "pop" off, as if a switch were thrown, a stunning demonstration of the moon's orbital motion and the star's tiny angular size.” — Space.com
- “Because the Moon has no atmosphere, Regulus will not slowly dim, but will instead appear to wink out instantly.” — WRAL
- “Precise timing of when a star disappears and reappears can help astronomers refine measurements of the Moon’s orbit and position.” — WRAL
- “The Moon visits Regulus on a roughly nine year cycle, with the current period running out until December 28th, 2026.” — Universe Today
What’s Next
The Moon will next occult Venus in June 2026 and Jupiter in October 2026. After the December 2026 series, the next Regulus occultation will not occur until the following nine-year cycle, offering fresh opportunities for observers.
