June 26-28, 2025: The crescent moon returns to the western sky after sundown.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Evening Moon Returns
The waxing crescent moon returns to the western evening sky after beginning lunation 1268, the number of lunar cycles since the count began in 1923.
The moon waxes, appearing higher in the western sky and near the evening planets.
Earthshine
Until the moon is about 30% illuminated, look for earthshine on the moon’s night portion. This soft light is sunlight reflected from Earth’s oceans, clouds, and land. It can be photographed with a tripod-mounted camera with exposures up to a few seconds. Experiment with images exposed up to 10 seconds. Earthshine can be photographed with a handheld phone camera if held steadily.
Waxing Moon Highlights
Here’s what to see one hour after sunset:
- June 26: Find a clear horizon looking toward the west-northwest. The crescent moon, 4% illuminated, is 5° above the horizon and 3.7° to the right of Mercury. They easily fit into the same binocular field of view. Pollux, a Gemini Twin, is 5.1° to the right of the lunar crescent. The moon and star fit into the same field, but this does not include Mercury. Castor, the other Twin, is 4.5° to the right of Pollux.
- June 27: Easier to see than last night, though the lunar crescent, 9% illuminated, is only over 10° above the west-northwest horizon. Tonight, it is 9.6° to Mercury’s upper left, too far away to fit into the same binocular field. This evening, Mercury is 9.9° to Pollux’s left.
- June 28: Nearly 20° up in the west, the pretty crescent, 16% illuminated, is nearly 20° up in the west and 5.7° to Regulus’ lower right, Leo’s brightest star. Mars is over 12° to the moon’s upper left and 0.9° to the upper right of Rho Leonis (ρ Leo on the chart). Tonight, Mercury is 5° above the west-northwest horizon and over 20° to the crescent’s lower right.
Watch the moon enter the evening sky, pass Mercury and the Gemini Twins, and approach Regulus and Mars.
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