Today:
A challenging but interesting display awaits those patient and sharp-eyed this evening. A thin Crescent Moon hangs very low in the southwest, greeted to its upper right by a spark of light buried in the twilight, the planet Venus. Look for them starting near 6:30 in the southwest, heading toward the horizon, and generally out of view before 7 o’clock.
Sunday:
Arcturus, the brightest star in the evening skies, still close to due west, one quarter of the way up as twilight ends, setting earlier each evening, and heads below the west-northwest horizon at 9:30 PM EDT. Arcturus owes its brilliance to its relatively close position, about 37 light years away, while it sends out 170 times more light than our Sun.
Monday:
A growing Crescent Moon rides low over the southwest horizon, but not alone. As the brilliant Venus edges toward the horizon, looking from 7 to 7:15 well to the left of Venus, a star emerges to the right of the Moon, the reddish Antares, the “heart” of the Scorpion. Antares is nearing the end of its evening viewing, returning with the warmer weather next spring.