First quarter is Friday, 0ct. 27, when the moon appears half lit from our perspective. A first βquarterβ moon is a moon thatβs a quarter of the way in its cycle from one new moon to another new moon.
At 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, the nearly first-quarter moon is directly south. In the southwest, red Antares is 10 degrees above the horizon.
In the northwest, red/orange Arcturus is also about 10 degrees above the horizon. Antares and Arcturus are among the brightest stars in the sky, but they will be dimmed by their low altitudes. They are leaving our evening skies.
Around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, the moon is high in the southeast. The moon will be a 9-day old waxing (growing larger) gibbous (more than half lit).
Twenty degrees below the moon is Fomalhaut, the 18th brightest star in the sky. Fomalhaut in the evening sky is a sign that autumn has arrived.
I often refer to Fomalhaut as βlonesome,β because there are no bright stars near it in that part of the sky.
It is bright enough to be seen from the foothills in the light pollution glow from Tucson, and it looks like it is by itself. Now is a good time to see it with the moon pointing the way.
In the predawn sky, ever-brilliant Venus continues to star in the morning sky.
At 6:15 a.m. Friday morning, Venus is 12 degrees above the horizon, and red Mars is 13 degrees above Venus.
