A gibbous moon will light the night sky in the week ahead. On Friday, the moon appears low in the eastern sky after 8 p.m. The moon is between the zodiacal constellations Leo and Virgo. These are constellations we associate with spring. Through the coming week, the moon will continue to go through the zodiacal constellations we associate with spring and summer.

Late Monday night, the moon is near the bright star Spica, in Virgo. The two are a pretty sight, and they rise in the east at close to midnight.

Groundhog Day

On Monday, Groundhog Day, the sky in the morning on the Vineyard was overcast. You have a choice. You can follow the forecast of Punxsutawney Phil in Punxsutawney, Pa., where he saw his shadow, presaging six more weeks of winter.

But for many of us, Groundhog Day calls for a more local forecaster. Phil lives over 550 miles west from here. We don’t have groundhogs on the Vineyard but we do have skunks.

When Martha the Skunk ventured out of her den in Vineyard Haven on Monday morning, after a long nap, she saw spring is not far away. She did not see her shadow. It was snowing, changing to rain. For us we’ve got a far more favorable forecast.