Sunrise Sunset

Fri., August 21 5:55 7:33

Sat., August 22 5:56 7:31

Sun., August 23 5:57 7:29

Mon., August 24 5:58 7:28

Tues., August 25 5:59 7:26

Wed., August 26 6:00 7:25

Thurs., August 27 6:01 7:23

Fri., August 28 6:02 7:22

Crescent Moon

A thin crescent moon will dominate the southwestern sky in the nights ahead, appearing near Saturn and Mercury tomorrow shortly after sunset. The threesome is close to the western horizon.

Most Vineyarders will first see the crescent moon on Sunday night when it is higher in the sky. The moon is in the zodiacal constellation Virgo and near the principal star Spica.

The moon passes through Libra on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

The moon is first quarter phase on Wednesday night and in Scorpius.

Jupiter

Jupiter, the brightest planet in the night sky, rises in the east soon after sunset. Jupiter is a brilliant looking bright “star.” Jupiter is in the zodiacal constellation Capricornus. The planet rises in the east and stays up all night, setting in the west at dawn.

Jupiter is 378 million miles away.

Mars

The red planet Mars doesn’t rise in the east until well after 3 a.m. in the morning, but later this year it will be getting closer. At the start of August, Mars was 163 million miles away. By the end of this month, he will be 149 million miles away. As the planet gets closer it gets brighter. By the end of the year, Mars will be considerably closer to the Earth and a pretty red ruby rising in the east at sunset.

M.A.L.