August 25-31, 2025: Follow the moon’s evening journey from August 25–31 as it passes Mars, Spica, Zubenelgenubi, Pi Scorpii, and Antares. Includes altitudes, illumination, and binocular tips.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
As the moon reappears in the evening sky, the six-planet parade is winding down in the morning sky as Mercury recedes back into brighter morning twilight.
Moon Reappears in Western Sky
The moon passes the New Moon phase on August 23rd at 1:06 a.m. Central Time. Typically, the moon reappears in the western sky as a thin waxing crescent around 36 or so hours later. At this new lunation, the solar system’s plane makes a shallow angle with the western horizon and the moon is below that ecliptic plane. The result is that even on the 25th, the lunar orb is near the horizon during evening twilight.
From night to night through the First Quarter phase, the moon is below 20° above the horizon. That distance is about 20% from the horizon to overhead.
Earthshine
As the moon waxes, look for earthshine on the moon until the 27th. This effect is from sunlight that reflects from Earth’s oceans, clouds, and land that gently lights up the lunar night.
Highlights
Here’s what to see:
- August 25: The moon, 8% illuminated, is about 3° up in the west and 7.2° to the lower right of Mars. The Red Planet is 2.9° to the lower left Porrima, also known as Gamma Virginis. Mars and the moon tightly fit into the same binocular field of view.
- August 26: The crescent moon, 14% illuminated, is over 5° up in the west-southwest and 6.1° to the lower left of Mars. The moon is 6.7° to the lower right of Spica (Alpha Virginis).
- August 27: The moon, 21% illuminated, is nearly 10° above the west-southwest horizon and 5.9° from Spica, Virgo’s brightest star.
- August 28: The moon, 30% illuminated, is over 10° up in the southwest and 17.6° to the upper left of Spica. The moon is also 6.7° from Zubenelgenubi, the Scorpion’s southern claw, although it is part of Libra.
- August 29: The moon, 38% illuminated, is nearly 15° above the southwest horizon and 10.0° to Zubenelgenubi’s lower left. The moon is also 10° to the lower right of Pi Scorpii (π Sco).
- August 30: The moon, 48% illuminated, is over 15° up in the south-southwest and 2.2° to the left of Pi Scorpii and 4.9° to Antares’ lower right, Scorpius’ brightest star. The moon passes the evening half or First Quarter phase at 1:25 a.m. Central Time tomorrow morning after it sets in the Americas.
- August 31: The gibbous moon, 57% illuminated, is less than 20° up in the south-southwest. It is 7.5° to the left of Antares. The lunar orb is in front of Ophiuchus.
Look for the moon in the evening sky. Find a clear horizon looking toward the southwest as the lunar orb appears low in the sky each night.
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