Sunrise Sunset

Fri., April 30 5:40 7:38

Sat., May 1 5:38 7:39

Sun., May 2 5:37 7:40

Mon., May 3 5:36 7:41

Tues., May 4 5:34 7:42

Wed., May 5 5:33 7:43

Thurs., May 6 5:32 7:44

Fri., May 7 5:31 7:45

The gibbous moon spends the weekend and the nights ahead mostly in the morning sky. Tonight the moon rises three hours after sunset and dominates the southern night sky all the way to dawn. The moon resides in the zodiacal constellation Sagittarius this weekend.

On Thursday morning the moon is in the last quarter phase and in the zodiacal constellation Aquarius. Hard to imagine, as we often think of Aquarius as an autumn constellation. You’ve got to get up early in the morning to see it.

Planets

The bright planet Venus is high in the southwestern sky long after the sun has set. The planet has taken command of the west. Venus remains an evening beacon well into summer.

The red planet Mars is now high in the western sky after sunset. The planet has lost a lot of its brilliance, but its reddish color still makes it distinct against a backdrop of a starry sky.

The ringed planet Saturn is high in the east after sunset. Saturn is in Virgo, quite a distance from the brightest star in the constellation, Spica. Spica outshines Saturn. Saturn has a yellowish color, quite different from Spica.

M.A.L.