Today:
After crossing the sky this afternoon, the waxing crescent Moon will lower in the west this evening. As the light from the sunset dims, an object will appear below to the left of the Moon. Of a subtle yellow, the is the planet Saturn, which is 99.9 percent illuminated, but almost ten times as distant as the Sun.
Friday:
While the Moon is still thin, notice that the Milky Way arches from southeast, between the stars of Orion on the right, and the celestial dogs on the left, then overhead, dropping back down into the northwest. The Milky Way is much fainter and more subtle this time of year, compared to the Summer, because we are looking toward its outer edges.
Saturday:
Orion is in the south this evening, his left foot (on the right as we face him) denoted by the star Rigel, which is Arabic for “left foot”. The bright star that marks his right shoulder (on our left) is called Betelgeuse, also Arabic, though its meaning is less certain. Variations in the name suggest it means the hand, the shoulder, or the armpit.