See a half-lit moon shine among the stars of Aquarius on Nov. 27

The moon is pictured against a darkening blue sky with its right half lit and its left bathed in shadow. The silhouette of a passing bird is visible to the left of the image.

The moon reaches its first quarter phase on Friday (Nov. 28), marking a perfect opportunity to explore the half-lit lunar disk as it shines among the stars of the constellation Aquarius in the hours following sunset.

December's first quarter moon phase occurs at 1:59 a.m.EST (0659 GMT) on Nov. 28, when the right side of the moon will appear illuminated by direct sunlight from our Earthly perspective, while the left side will be hidden behind a veil of impenetrable shadow.