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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.
The first quarter moon rises around noon and sets close to midnight and so will have slipped below the horizon for viewers in the U.S. by the time it officially reaches the orbital milestone. Stargazers in America will get their best view of the half-lit lunar disk as it hangs above the eastern horizon in the hours following sunset on Thursday (Nov. 27).
A pair of 10X50 binoculars or a small backyard telescope will reveal a wealth of shadow-drenched craters lining the lower portion of the lunar surface close to the terminator — the line separating night from day on Earth's natural satellite.
Dark patches known as lunar maria, or lunar seas, will also be visible to the naked eye on the night of Nov. 27. These vast basaltic plains formed billions of years ago when masses of lava flooded ancient impact craters, before hardening to resurface swathes of the Earth-facing lunar disk.
Saturn will also be visible shining brightly to the upper left of the moon at sunset on Nov. 27, below the stars of the constellation Pisces. The gas giant's iconic ring system is currently oriented edge-on to Earth, making it appear as a thin line through the eyepiece of a telescope.
Looking to explore the moon for yourself and upgrade your amateur astronomy arsenal? Then be sure to check out our roundup of the best Black Friday deals, along with our picks of the top binoculars and telescopes for exploring the night sky.
Editor's Note: If you would like to share your image of the first quarter moon with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s) along with your comments, name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
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