On the evening of October 27, 2026, the gibbous Moon will pass through the Pleiades star cluster (M45) in Taurus. Visible throughout Switzerland and France, this event is fascinating to observe with both binoculars and a telescope: the stars in the cluster disappear and then reappear one by one behind the lunar disk. Here’s how to observe and photograph it, with concrete examples from French astrophotographers.

All the info at a glance

• Date: the night of October 27–28, 2026
• Start: Around 11:07 p.m. (CET) on October 27, the Moon reaches M45
• Closest approach: around 2:27 a.m. (CET) on October 28, 0° 56′
• End: around 4:29 a.m. (CET) on October 28
• Coverage: All of Switzerland and all of France, starting this evening
• Moon: waning gibbous, ~94 % illuminated (just after the full moon on the 26th)
• Constellation: Taurus, rising in the east in the evening and reaching its highest point in the night sky
• Recommended equipment: 10×50 binoculars or a 70–100 mm telescope
• With the naked eye: difficult—the Moon is too bright for M45
• For astrophotography: a 200–300 mm telephoto lens or an 80–105 mm refractor on the following mount

What is an occultation?

An occultation occurs when the Moon passes in front of a celestial object and obscures it. In the case of the Pleiades, the cluster lies just 4 degrees from the ecliptic: the Moon therefore regularly passes nearby and occulted it about once a month. However, a total occultation—in which the Moon passes completely across the cluster—occurs only at certain times, when the Moon is high enough in the sky at the moment of the passage.

On October 27, 2026, the Moon is waning gibbous (94 % illuminated, just after the Full Moon on the 26th). It is very bright: M45, with a magnitude of 1.6, is difficult to see with the naked eye due to the Moon’s glare. But through binoculars or a small telescope, the contrast between the lunar disk and the blue stars of the Pleiades is striking. The stars disappear one by one behind the Moon’s illuminated limb, then reappear on the other side, on the darkened limb.

How to Observe It from Switzerland and France

The event can be seen in its entirety from both Switzerland and France. The Pleiades rise in the east in the early evening and reach their highest point in the sky during the night. Taurus is an autumn constellation that is well-positioned for European observers.

Through binoculars: With 10×50 binoculars, the occultation is spectacular. The wide field of view lets you see the Moon and the Pleiades together, as well as the stars disappearing behind the Moon’s disk. Mount the binoculars on a stand or a camera tripod for greater comfort and stability.

Through the telescope: A 70- to 100-mm telescope or a small reflector is sufficient. High magnification isn’t necessary: 30x to 50x provides a wide field of view where you can see both the Moon and the cluster together. Manual tracking is sufficient: the Moon moves slowly relative to the Pleiades, about one lunar diameter per hour.

How to Photograph It: Practical Examples

The occultation of the Pleiades by the Moon has already been photographed by French and Swiss astrophotographers, notably on April 1, 2025, during a similar event. Here are two specific examples, along with the techniques used.

Example 1: Emmanuel Beaudoin, Chevreuse (France)

Emmanuel Beaudoin, an astrophotographer and contributor to Ciel & Espace, photographed the occultation on April 1, 2025, from the hills above Chevreuse, France. His setup:

• Telescope: Astro-Physics EDT 105 mm at f/6 (focal length 630 mm)
• Exposure: 3 seconds, single frame
• Objective: to capture the Moon and its ashen glow as it visits the Pleiades
• Technique: single application, no layering, light treatment for aesthetic purposes

The result: a perfectly balanced image of the Moon and its ashen glow among the blue stars of the cluster. A 3-second exposure is enough to capture the Moon in detail, but the Pleiades cluster remains visible thanks to the Moon’s ashen light, which gently illuminates the darkened edge.

Example 2: ShadowsPro, Perrouse, Haute-Saône (France)

Another French astrophotographer, ShadowsPro, photographed the same occultation from Perrouse (Haute-Saône). His setup:

• Lens: TS APO 94 EDPH, 412 mm, f/4.4
• Mount: EQ6-R Pro on a fixed column
• Camera: ZWO ASI 2600MC Pro, cooled to -10°C
• Exposure: 1 second, single frame
• Acquisition: ASIair Plus

The result: a single one-second exposure is enough to capture the Moon and the Pleiades together. The ZWO ASI 2600MC Pro cooled camera offers excellent signal-to-noise ratio even with short exposures, and the 412-mm TS APO 94 EDPH telescope provides a wide enough field of view to frame both the Moon and the cluster together.

Which technique is best for which setup?

The two examples above use different techniques:

Short single exposure (1 to 3 seconds): The Moon is bright, so a short exposure is sufficient. The Pleiades cluster remains visible thanks to the ashen glow and appropriate exposure times. No need for stacking: a single well-exposed image yields a usable result. A cooled camera (ZWO ASI 2600MC Pro) or a DSLR/mirrorless camera mounted on a suitable mount will do the trick.

Telephoto lens on a tripod (without tracking): A 200- to 300-mm lens mounted on a camera tripod, with an exposure time of 1 to 2 seconds at ISO 1600–3200, captures the Moon-M45 conjunction in a single frame. It’s simpler and faster than a full telescope setup.

Next pair of eyeglasses: An 80- to 105-mm telescope mounted on one of the following equatorial mounts (EQ6-R Pro, AM5N, or similar) allows for 1- to 3-second exposures with excellent detail on the Moon and the stars. This is the setup used in the two examples above.

Wide-angle for landscapes: A wide-angle lens (24–50 mm) captures the landscape with Taurus, the Moon, and the Pleiades all together. The Moon is small, but the overall composition is beautiful. A few-second exposure on a tripod, ISO 1600–3200.

Recommended equipment (available in our store)

To observe and photograph the occultation, here is the appropriate equipment, available in our store:

• 80–100 mm eyepiece on the following mount: ideal for wide-field views of the Moon and the Pleiades
• 10×50 binoculars: for visual observation; mounted on a tripod for stability
• 200–300 mm telephoto lens on a camera tripod: for astrophotography without a telescope
• Next equatorial mount: for 1- to 3-second exposures without panning

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Sources

This article draws on examples of astrophotography published by Emmanuel Beaudoin in *Ciel & Espace* (April 2, 2025) and by ShadowsPro (Perrouse, Haute-Saône, April 1, 2025). The times for the occultation on October 27–28, 2026, have been verified using NASA Skywatching Tips. Photo credits are attributed to their respective authors.