As the twilight fades by 9:15 PM or so, the waxing Gibbous Moon is escorted across the southern skies by the bright, steely-blue star Spica, located just to its lower right. Spica is diminished by the lunar glare this evening, but regains its composure as the Moon moves away through the rest of the month.
Thursday:
Late this evening, near 10:30, lowering toward the northwestern horizon shines a sparkling, flashing object, with random flares of green, or red, or blue. No, it is not a UFO, but the bright star Capella. Bright stars, when they are near the horizon, have their light bent by the atmosphere, much like light going through a crystal or prism.
Friday:
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower enjoys a broad peak over the next few nights, best seen after midnight, with up to 15 meteors or “shooting stars” per hour. Unfortunately, this cosmic dust, the debris from Halley’s Comet, won’t be easy to see, thanks to the overwhelming glow of the Full “Flower” Moon.