The moon will ride close to the bright star Spica above the southwestern horizon tonight (July 3) — and some well-placed viewers will see the lunar disk pass directly in front of the bright ...

You can find Spica by first looking up high in the north at the Big Dipper. Follow the arc of the Dipper’s “handle” in a long curve first to the star Arcturus, and then to Spica.

A waning crescent moon will creep closer and closer to Spica until the star's light is extinguished in the blink of an eye on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 27.

Trundling along the ecliptic plane in Virgo, our satellite hangs near the bright star Spica in the evening sky.

Above Spica, the "star" farthest from the moon and shining sedately with a yellow-white hue is — you guessed it — Saturn. It shines just a bit brighter than Spica.

Also above the moon — but more to the north — you’ll spot a bright, yellow-orange star named Arcturus.

The First Quarter Moon covers the bright star Spica while Mars and Uranus have a close conjunction in the sky this week.

The Virgo asterism straddles the ecliptic. Spica is 10 degrees south of it, and the landmark star Vindemiatrix (epsilon Virginis) is 10 degrees north.

You can find Spica by first looking up high in the north at the Big Dipper. Follow the arc of the Dipper’s “handle” in a long curve first to the star Arcturus, and then to Spica.