Today:
The Moon’s cycle of 29 and a half days, being less than a calendar month, ends this month as it began. Having cycled back to its first quarter phase, it is half illuminated, and appears in the south-southwest at darkness falls. It has also circled back into the neighborhood of the red-orange srtar Antares, the heart of the Scorpion, Antares appearing to the left of our silvery neighbor.
Sunday:
Early risers this month have enjoyed an excellent display from Venus and Jupiter, but let’s give a nod to the “other” morning planet, the alwayss challenging Mercury, making a modest appearance within the morning twilight. Having as low and level a view to the east-southeast, the closest planet to the Sun offers a narrow window from 5:30 until it’s lost in the twilight near 5:45 AM EDT
Monday:
The planet Mercury reaches the end of its reasonable viewing window, barely visible, and quite low in the east-southeast from 5:35 to 5:45, and likely requires a pair of binoculars to find it. Mercury’s swift orbit of 88 days brings it back into the morning skies, with a better view in late November and early December.