Today:
Today is the Summer Solstice, which occurs officially 10:42 PM EDT. At Montpelier the sun rises at 5:06 AM and sets at 8:37, the resulting 15 hours and 31 minutes of daylight making this the longest day of the day year. The transition into shortening days is easy at first, with tomorrow shorter than today by less than one second.

Saturday:
In the wee hours tomorrow morning, the waning Crescent Moon will be rising in the east-northeast at around 2:15, followed by its planetary companion 45 minutes later, to the lower right of the Moon, the brightly shining Venus. That will give them an hour to climb higher into the east-northeast, low but better placed for viewing for the early birds rising before sunrise.

Sunday:
Early risers tomorrow will find an even thinner Crescent Moon joining Venus, well to the left of the planetary beacon, but also just left of the returning collection of stars known as the Seven Sisters. They will be quite low at 3:45 AM, just as the first hints of dawn blush in the east, visible until 4 o’clock, or shortly after, when the stars fade in the brightening twilight.