Your Guide to Observing the Lunar X in Montana 2025

Well, Montana stargazers have a cosmic surprise in store! The Moon is serving up treasure this Thursday night, March 6th, when something that looks like a giant, glowing ‘X’ lands right on its surface. No, it’s not marking the spot for hidden lunar gold (which was my first thought), but it is a rare and pretty cool sight that you won’t want to miss.

What’s the Deal with the ‘X’?

Before you go into full conspiracy mode, let’s set the record straight. The Lunar X isn’t a publicity stunt for Elon Musk and his social media platform "X." The Lunar X is simply an optical illusion.

Get our free mobile app

According to DailyMail, as the sunlight grazes past the peaks of a group of craters close to the Moon’s terminator (the boundary between the illuminated and dark portion of the lunar surface), it forms an eye-catching ‘X’ that remains visible for just a few hours, and that requires catching it at precisely the right time.

When & How to Watch

For folks in Montana, the best time to look up will be after sunset on Thursday. Though the ‘X’ technically begins forming at about 4:00 PM MST, you’ll want to wait until after the sky darkens to bear witness to the best view. So grab a seat, go outside, and prepare to be entertained. You won’t require any special equipment to observe it. A good pair of binoculars will work fine, but a telescope is even better! Let's just hope for clear skies and no weather that may get in between us and the view. X marks the spot, Montana, don’t miss it!