A thin crescent moon appears low in the southwestern sky on Sunday night amid the light of dusk. The moon is so close to the horizon it will be viewable only for a short time before it sets, soon after sunset. The Gay Head overlook, Menemsha Beach and the West Chop lookout are the most likely places to see the moon.

More of us will see the moon Monday night when it is higher in the west. The moon is moving through the zodiacal constellation Taurus.

Evening strollers will see the moon on Tuesday night when it is considerably higher in the sky and in the zodiacal constellation Gemini.

Have you seen Mars yet? The red planet Mars is a pretty sight, low in the southeastern sky a short time after sunset and it remains in the southern sky all evening. Mars is only a few weeks away from opposition, its closest distance in at least two years. Mars has doubled in brightness in only a few months. Now a resident of the zodiacal constellation Scorpius, Mars is close to the fainter planet Saturn.

Jupiter remains the brightest planet in the evening sky. It is high in the southeast after sunset and resides in the zodiacal constellation Leo.

On Monday, experienced amateur astronomers will be watching the tiny planet Mercury transit the sun at midday. The little planet will appear as a small dot, silhouetted against the face of the Sun. The scene will only be viewable using a solar telescope. No one should look at the sun without eye protection.

Itinerant Venus is only a few weeks away from appearing low in the southwestern sky at dusk. Venus will be our summer evening planet and will far outshine Jupiter, Mars and Saturn.