Today:
The month starts off with the Moon reaching its first quarter phase. This is a temporal marker, and is concurrent with the geometrical half moon. When the moon a quarter of the way through its 29.53-day cycle, it appears as half-illuminated. The second quarter phase is simultaneous with the fully illuminated Moon; at the third (last) quarter mark, the Moon has returned to half illumination; and the cycle renews with the New Moon, which is not illuminated.
Saturday:
If you’re up and around during the predawn hours tomorrow, you’ll note Jupiter above the horizon in the east-northeast, seemingly joining the Gemini Twins at the hip. Above and to the right appears the brighter Venus. The two will draw closer in the coming nights, their separation reaching its minimum, less than one degree, in the wee morning hours on August 12.
Sunday:
The Moon is just past its First Quarter as it nuzzles up close to the reddish star Antares, the “heart” of the Scorpion, low in the south-southwest as twilight gives way to darkness from 8:45 PM to 9 PM. The pair slide lower into the southwest, setting after 1:00 AM.