A thin crescent moon low in the southwestern sky opens the weekend. Most will see the moon in the nights ahead, but those who make the effort will see it Friday night when it hangs low in the twilight and is near the bright planet Venus. Venus is brilliant even against a backdrop of twilight. The planet will command more attention in the months ahead as it gets higher in the west.

On Sunday night, the still crescent moon is right next to the bright star Spica, the principal and brightest star in the zodiacal constellation Virgo. Spica is one of the brightest stars of spring and summer and we are losing it to the approach of autumn.

The moon spends the nights ahead low in the southern sky moving first through the zodiacal constellations Libra and then Scorpius. Look on Thursday night for the moon above the bright planet Saturn and the following night it is near the red planet Mars.