Technologies

Catch a Rare Planetary ‘Smiley Face’ in the Stars This Week: Here’s How

Look to the eastern sky late Thursday, and a clear horizon will show you this unusual, grinning planet alignment.

A rare celestial event on April 24-25 will give skygazers a creative way to see a smiley face in the early morning sky. Though it’s not exactly an emoji, this interesting grouping will show a crescent moon plus two rising planets, Venus and Saturn, close to the horizon. Together they’ll form a quirky sideways «smile» for watchful viewers, creating plenty of potential for amateur photographers with the right angles.

«Find Venus, Saturn, and the crescent moon gathered low in the east as dawn warms the morning sky. Mercury is also visible below them for those with a clear view to the horizon,» NASA said in this month’s skywatching tips.

This isn’t quite a lunar occultation, where the moon fully obscures the planets, but the event is very close to one. If you want the best chance of seeing this interesting convergence, you should head out before twilight.

When CNET reached out to Amateur Astronomer’s Association for advice, they let us know, «Thank you for reaching out! Stargazers all across the US will be able to see this conjunction in the early morning hours. They should look towards the eastern sky just before sunrise, local time. … All stargazers need is an open view of that eastern horizon and clear skies» The club also recommended using the Stellarium Web site as a tool to calculate the exact best time to view for your location.

When you’re ready, start with a few simple steps:

Go out while it’s still fully dark, well before dawn in your location.
Ensure you have a clear view of the eastern horizon (where the sun rises). Clouds or morning fog may obscure the event.
Find a higher spot with a clear view of the horizon. Nearby hills or mountains could hide the event, so the clearer, the better.
Find the moon’s crescent at the bottom of the horizon.
Look to the upper right of the crescent and watch for two bright lights to shine. You may think they’re stars, but they’re planets. Venus should be significantly brighter than Saturn, giving the smile a fun, lopsided look.
If you’re taking photos, wait until the brightening twilight has started to obscure nearby stars while the planets still remain easily visible.

The smiley face is part of Venus’ continual shift from an evening spectacle to a morning event throughout April. Mercury will also be making an appearance if you have a horizon view that includes especially low stars.

Technologies

The Fourth Episode of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Out

Verum Messenger has released the fourth episode of its AI mini-series SHADOWS, created using Verum AI. The new episode, titled “No Borders,” continues the story of a team trying to stay out of the OMEGA corporation’s sight.

Following the events of the previous episodes, the team moves between cities and countries while OMEGA continues its search. The new episode puts particular emphasis on Verum Messenger’s capabilities that allow users to conceal their location.

“No Borders” is another chapter in a story about privacy, freedom of communication, and technologies that erase borders between people.

The VERUM AI mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 4 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube