October 6-9, 2024: The crescent moon moves eastward each night after sundown. Watch it move away from Venus and travel in front of Scorpius, Ophiuchus, and Sagittarius.
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by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Evening Crescent Moon
After yesterday’s rare Venus-Moon-Zubenelgenubi gathering, the moon moves eastward and its phase grows or waxes.
Here is a summary of what to look for each evening at 45 minutes after nightfall:
- October 6: Brilliant Venus, low in the west-southwest, is nearly 14° to the lower right of the lunar crescent, 15% illuminated. The moon is 5° above the southwest horizon, 4.3° to the lower right of Dschubba, the Scorpion’s forehead or crown, and 7.1° to Graffias’ lower right. The stars are 3.1° apart. During the next few evenings look for earthshine on the moon, reflected sunlight from Earth’s features that softly lights the lunar night.
- October 7: Farther eastward from last night’s place, the crescent moon (23% illuminated) is 10° up in the southwest. Look carefully for Antares, the Scorpion’s brightest star, 2.4° to the right of the crescent.
- October 8: The lunar crescent (32% illuminated) is nearly 15° above the south-southwest horizon. It is about 8° above Shaula and Lesath at the Scorpion’s tail, also known as “Cat’s Eyes”. The moon is bright enough to illuminate the terrain and cast shadows.
- October 9: Approaching the First Quarter phase, the moon is nearly 20° up in the south-southwest. It is in front of the stars of Sagittarius. Notice its location compared to Venus, low in the west-southwest.
Watch the moon move eastward from night to night, pass the stars, and grow its phase.
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