Tonight's gibbous moon appears in the zodiacal constellation Leo. The moon is near the main star Regulus. The two rise together before midnight. Look tomorrow night and the last quarter moon appears right under Regulus.

— Ray Ewing

Use these early nights to enjoy the brilliance of the stars and planets without the moon. Venus is low in the southwestern sky right after sunset. It is easy to spot and looks like an airplane approaching with landing lights on.

Farther south and more southwest is the ringed planet Saturn. The planet is pretty bright, though no match for the other planets.

Rising an hour or so after sunset, look to the east for the second brightest planet, Jupiter. Jupiter is getting close to us and shines so bright in the zodiacal constellation Taurus, the Bull.

Rising in the east an hour or so later is the bright red planet Mars. You can't miss it. The red planet outshines all the stars in the area. Only Jupiter is brighter. Mars is brightening quickly and will be at its brightest in January 16, 2025.

Use these evenings to enjoy the Milky Way. Without the moon in the evening sky, the stars have no competitor. They shine as brightly as they can this time of year.