A thin crescent moon appears low in the southwestern sky tomorrow night. The New Moon was yesterday.

The moon appears amid the light of dusk, visible right after sunset. The moon is in the zodiacal constellation Libra, inching towards the constellation Scorpius.

This crescent moon is different from the crescent moon we saw back in spring. Last spring, when farmers tilled their fields, the moon’s cusps were almost horizontal. We said then, “the moon can hold water.” Not now. This moon appears far more upright, standing like a sentinel. This crescent moon is all business, presaging winter ahead.

The moon appears near the ringed planet Saturn tomorrow night. Saturn is the brightest “star” in the area.

On Monday night, the moon appears higher in the southern sky near the red planet Mars. On this night, you’ll note that the moon has a more obvious tilt, but its cusps still can’t “hold water.”

The moon remains in the southern sky for much of the coming week. It passes from Scorpius into the zodiacal constellation Sagittarius. Late in the week it appears only slightly higher. It isn’t until the week of November that the moon will appear high above the trees.

On Halloween Night, next Friday, the moon is gibbous and appears in the zodiacal constellation Capricornus.