This week the moon visits neighboring planets, the Saturn nebula, and two of the brightest stars in the late autumn sky. (See also: "Stars: Billions and Billions.")

As darkness falls on Tuesday, November 25, look toward the low southwestern sky, where the thin, waxing crescent moon will be just left of the bright orange Mars. The pair will sit on top of the giant teapot stellar pattern within the constellation Sagittarius, the Archer.

In the early evening on Thursday, November 27, the crescent moon will have shifted high into the southwestern sky, into the constellation Aquarius, the Water Bearer.

Less than 2 degrees to its right sits the compact but bright Saturn nebula—not to be confused with the