Today:
The Autumnal Equinox, the first day of fall by the calendar, occurs today at 12:44 Greenwich Mean Time, or 8:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time. Sunrise tables show the length of the day about 12 hours and 10 minutes. Although the equinox is supposed to represent equal amounts of night and day, the Sun takes a few additional minutes to both rise and set, and the atmosphere “bends” the sun’s light, accounting for the extra time.
Monday:
By 10:30 PM this evening, a waning Moon, just one day short of its Last Quarter, climbs into the northeast just minutes ahead of our largest planet, Jupiter. Size alone helps Jupiter to rank as the second brightest planet we can see, just behind Venus. The Moon and Jupiter reach one third of the way up in the east by 1:30 AM, cresting due south, very high as the morning twilight brightens.
Tuesday:
It will again require a late night, with the fun starting after midnight, when Mars again rises roughly in the northeast. The First Quarter Moon joins the fun, just above the brightening, reddish Mars. The Moon will rise high in the east throughout the night, closely accompanied by Pollux, the brightest star of the Gemini constellation.