Today:
The First Quarter Moon hangs in the south as the stars emerge from the twilight by 7:30. Looking to the left of the Moon, you’ll find the stars of the “teapot” in Sagittarius, with its triangular lid on top of the teapot, while two more stars form a handle on the left, and another star to the right can be imagined as a spout.
Thursday:
Looking due south this evening at 9:10 PM, almost two thirds of the way up from the horizon, the bottom star of the Summer Triangle, Altair, will help guide you to a tiny constellation inside the Triangle. Above Altair, a line of moderately bright stars forms the Arrow, Sagitta, its feathers “split” on the right.
Friday:
The waxing Gibbous Moon continues to grow larger and brighter in the evening skies, overwhelming the fainter stars, and leaving us to view the brighter stars, including those of the Summer Triangle. As the Moon crests due south at 9:00 PM, you’ll find the lowest in this trio of stars, Altair, well above the Moon.