This weekend we have the Pumpkin Moon, a full moon rising in the east on Sunday night. The moon will color the evening sky for many nights ahead. An autumn full moon has character and stands apart from full moons the rest of the year, mostly because many of us are still outdoors at night. Nights are cool, but not so cold.

The moon is in the zodiacal constellation Pisces, a constellation that depicts two large fish. It is one of the largest constellations overhead. With the bright moon in its midst, the stars in the area are faint by contrast. Its sparkling stars don’t offer much of a shape to draw or remember like the favorite constellations. We have seen some star charts depict the constellation with its field of stars as a large “V” that is tilted sideways in the sky.

Venus

The brightest planet in the sky now shines for all to see. Venus is now higher in the western sky. It appears after sunset above the skyline and remains visible for at least an hour before setting. Venus will continue to appear higher and higher in the weeks ahead. Venus will be our evening star through the coming winter.