On Sunday night the crescent moon appears close to the red planet Mars. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Aquarius. This is not the same Mars you saw several months ago. Same planet, but Mars has lost much of its brilliance. There is not a visible planet in our night sky that can go through such a range of brightness. Mars is now a distant planet, nearly three times farther away from us than it was early last spring. Mars is now 133 million miles away. In May, Mars was glowing, in opposition, and it was a close 46 million miles away.

Mars is now a dull red and finding it easy with the help of the moon. Mars is the brightest planet near the moon.

Venus, the brightest planet in the western night sky this fall is almost as easy to find as the moon. Venus outshines all planets and stars. Venus will be our Christmas planet.