Today:
In the west at around 8:30 PM. the waxing Crescent Moon becomes brighter in the fading twilight. The emerging Jupiter appears high in the west-southwest. Almost straight to the Moon’s left in the bright star Aldebaran, and to its left Betelgeuse, in Orion. Above and to the Moon’s right appears the bright star Capella. And Venus, below the Moon, is dropping quickly toward the horizon in the west-northwest.
Monday:
Just after the sun has set, at around 7:45 PM, Venus, will appear low in west. Venus is the brightest of all the planets in the night sky, bright enough to muscle through a lot of twilight. As the twilight fades its apparent brightness will increase, but it won’t be around for long. Even assuming a flat horizon, it will set in the west-southwest at 9:55 PM, parting company with the brightest objects that remain: The crescent Moon, still up in west-southwest, and Jupiter, about halfway up in the west.
Tuesday:
Tonight comes the expected peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower. Look to the northeast around 10 PM. To the right of the bright star Vega, the Lyrids will be concentrated between the constellations Lyra and Hercules, and will lift high in the eastern sky. An average of 10 to 20 “shooting stars” is best viewed after midnight, especially once the wide Crescent Moon sets by 1:30 AM.