A thin crescent moon next to the bright planet Venus will appear above the horizon right after sunset on Wednesday. If the weather is fair, one of the best spots on the Vineyard will likely be Menemsha after the sunset.

Menemsha is the ideal spot to watch as it offers an unencumbered view of the western horizon. There are other places around the Vineyard, such as West Chop, Cape Pogue lighthouse and even the Gay Head light.    

If you miss this moment, you get another chance Thursday night when the moon and Venus appear again. This time the moon will be higher in the west and to the left of Venus. Both will be about equal distance from the horizon. They are still a pair, so enjoy.

Wet June

Thus far June is the second wettest month of the year, with over six inches of rainfall. The total rainfall for June was 6.62 inches, as recorded at the National Weather Service cooperative station in Edgartown.    

February still holds the record for measured precipitation this year. A total of 6.63 inches of precipitation fell in February, one-one hundredths more than in June. However, it didn’t come only as rain. There was 15 inches of snowfall in February.