Stargazers in the U.S. will witness the razor-thin waning crescent moon rise close to Venus and the bright star Regulus in the predawn sky on Sept. 19, while others will see the lunar disk pass directly in front of the rocky planet, briefly occulting (or hiding) its light.

Head out two hours before dawn on Sept. 19 to find the slender form of the 2%-lit moon rising low on the eastern horizon with Venus visible as a bright morning star less than 1 degree below and Regulus — the brightest star in the constellation Leo — just beyond. Remember, the width of your little finger held at arms length equates to roughly 1 degree in the night sky.

Around this time, you may notice a subtle glow illuminating the shadowed region of the lunar surface, revealing the vast basaltic plains known as lunar m

See Full Page