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A young moon is when a thin crescent appears in the evening sky just after new moon. Enjoy this beautiful composite image of the 12 young moons of 2023.
Occasionally you get the chance to look for a very young moon, less than 24 hours old. Those in North America, may see one just after sunset on April 20.
A beautiful week for moon-watching ahead. Look west after sunset. Watch for the young moon, Venus, Spica on August 9 to 13, 2021.
The Venus and Mars conjunction in the evening sky will be best around July 12 or July 13. The young moon will join them in the western twilight sky.
These next several evenings - June 11, 12 and 13, 2021 - watch for the young moon to return to the evening sky. As viewed from North America, the slender crescent pairs up with Venus on June 11 and Mars on June 13. Enjoy!
The brightest planet Venus has now returned to the evening sky, joining Mercury. It'll surprise you by appearing so bright, low in the western twilight. The moon swept past Venus Wednesday and Mercury Thursday ... this weekend, Mars!
These next several days - March 14-17, 2021 - look westward after sunset to get an eyeful of the young, slender waxing crescent moon adorning the evening twilight.
Beginning on February 12, look west after sunset for the young moon - a thin lunar crescent - in the west shortly after sunset.
These next several days - January 14, 15 and 16, 2021 - you can spot the waxing crescent moon and innermost planet Mercury, near the sunset point.
The 2 bright shining objects near the moon - December 15 to 18, 2020 - will be Jupiter and Saturn. These 2 giant planets are now nearing their great conjunction on December 21. Don't miss this!
As darkness falls on November 18-21, 2020, use the moon to locate Jupiter and Saturn. Their conjunction will be December 21. Watch into December as these 2 giant worlds draw close!
On November 16, 17, 18 and 19, 2020, enjoy the beautiful presence of a waxing crescent moon covered over in earthshine in the west after sunset. Then, after midnight, watch for meteors in the annual Leonid meteor shower.
In the past few days, several EarthSky Community members around the world shared their photos of the young moon, a thin crescent in the west after sunset. Beautiful! Thanks to all who contributed.
You might or might not see the moon on October 17, 2020. But you'll more easily catch it on October 18, 19 or 20. Look west after sunset!
After sunset these next several days - September 18, 19, 20 and 21, 2020 - watch for the waxing crescent moon's return to the evening sky.
This is quite a feat! The old moon one morning, and the young moon the following evening, centered on the August 2020 new moon.
These next several days - June 22, 23 and 24, 2020 - watch for the young waxing crescent moon to adorn the western evening dusk.
The young moon returned to the evening sky this weekend, to sweep past the bright planets Venus and Mercury.
On the evenings of May 23, 24 and 25, 2020, watch the great drama in your western twilight sky, as the young moon meets Mercury and Venus.
The moon is sweeping past Venus on these late April 2020 evenings. The EarthSky Community is catching them, and sharing their photos. Thanks to all who submitted.
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