The steely blue star rising in the north-northeast, low but due northeast at 9:45 PM, is Vega, from the German “Wega”, and from the Arabic “Al Wika”, the “swooping or diving eagle”. In modern times it is the brightest star in Lyra, the Lyre, a harp-like instrument, home to the meteor showers over the next few nights.
Friday:
With the waxing Crescent emerging from the twilight, well below the Seven Sisters, it presents no interference to viewing the first principle meteor shower of the year, the Lyrid Meteor Shower. An average of 10 to 20 “shooting stars” can be seen on a dark, clear night, best viewed after midnight. They’ll linger into tomorrow night as well.
Saturday:
This evening, with another night ahead to watch the Lyrid meteors, you can get your star gazing started with a slender Crescent Moon “smiling” between the brilliant Venus to its upper left, and the patch of stars called the Seven Sisters at an equal distance to its lower right.