X and V symbols appeared on the Moon
On the surface of the Moon on May 23–24, giant X and V symbols appeared, visible to the naked eye for only a few hours. This is not a message from aliens and not a camera defect, but a rare optical effect caused by the interplay of sunlight and shadows on lunar craters.
X and V Symbols Appeared on the Moon
Every night the Moon looks slightly different. The angle between the Sun and the lunar surface is constantly changing, and light falls differently on craters, mountains, and valleys. But at certain moments, shadows and illumination align so perfectly that recognizable shapes emerge on the Moon’s disk — in this case, two enormous letters of the Latin alphabet.
According to Daily Galaxy, on the night of May 23–24, 2026, during the first quarter phase, bright shapes resembling the letters X and V became visible on the lunar surface.
The observation window turned out to be very short because the effect depends entirely on the changing illumination, and the letters quickly dissolve into the surrounding landscape. This is precisely why many amateur astronomers spend years trying to catch this moment.
Optical Illusion on the Moon
The phenomenon has a scientific name — clair-obscur. The term comes from chiaroscuro — a concept from Italian Baroque art where artists used sharp contrast between light and shadow to create volume. On the Moon, exactly the same thing happens, only the artist is the Sun.
During the first quarter phase, the right half of the visible lunar disk is illuminated while the left half is plunged into darkness. The strongest contrast occurs along the moving boundary between lunar day and night. This is where sunlight strikes at a very low angle and illuminates only protruding terrain features while everything around remains in shadow.
X and V symbols on the Moon
Imagine a long sunset in the mountains when the peaks are already glowing orange while the valleys below have long been swallowed by twilight. On the Moon, where there is no atmosphere, this contrast is even more pronounced, and the illuminated edges of craters literally flash against the backdrop of absolute blackness.
How the Letter V Appeared on the Moon
The letter V on the Moon can be found between the lunar seas Sinus Medii and Mare Vaporum, approximately ten degrees north of the lunar equator. The shape is created by light falling on the rim of the Ukert crater and the adjacent degraded terrain.
The area near Ukert crater where the lunar letter “V” forms
The effect occurs because only certain elevated areas receive direct sunlight while neighboring regions remain dark. Interestingly, at first the shape can be difficult to pick out among the dense crater fields, but once you spot it, it becomes obvious. For observation, a small telescope or even binoculars are sufficient.
How the Letter X Appeared on the Moon
Approximately 25 degrees below the lunar equator, the letter X forms. It appears in the zone of several ancient impact craters whose terrain becomes especially prominent under oblique illumination.
The X image is located on the rims of the craters Blanchinus, La Caille, and Purbach. At this particular moment in the lunar cycle, light reaches only fragments of their crater walls while everything else remains in shadow. This temporary contrast creates the impression of a glowing letter X against the dark lunar background.
It is worth emphasizing that there are no actual letters on the surface. This is exclusively an interplay of geometry, illumination, and our perception, and every element must align with an accuracy of just a few hours.
What Is Pareidolia
Seeing familiar shapes in random patterns is not a bug but a feature of our brain. Pareidolia is the tendency of our brain to impose familiar features onto random patterns. For example, on Mars there is a place that looks like an Egyptian pyramid to us, although it is simply part of the terrain.
This ability to recognize familiar shapes in random patterns likely helped our ancestors quickly spot the faces of predators or kin even with minimal visual information. The same mechanism makes us see faces in electrical outlets, figures in clouds, and, of course, human faces in the most unexpected places.
The X and V symbols on the Moon are also examples of pareidolia, where we find a meaningful pattern in a random arrangement of terrain. But unlike other lunar illusions visible during a full moon with the naked eye, these symbols appear for only a few hours, and this is precisely what makes them such a prized catch for observers.
A small telescope or binoculars are enough to observe the lunar “X” and “V”
How Often Can You See Symbols on the Moon
This effect occurs only a few times a year when the Moon’s orientation relative to the Sun and Earth creates shadows at the right angles. Since the synodic period of the Moon is approximately 29.5 days, favorable dates for a specific observation location typically fall on every other month.
In other words, the effect itself repeats regularly, but the Moon is not always high enough above the horizon at the right time for your location on the map. If you missed the May window, don’t worry — these transitional lunar figures appear for approximately four hours once a month, and with clear skies and binoculars you will have more than one chance to try again.
