Last night I noticed the conjunction between two bright stars and the half moon.
Early in the night an imaginary line drawn between those two stars passed right under the moon.
The moon was so close to those stars (turns out to be Spica and Jupiter the nearer one) that as the night progressed
you could actually perceive the moon’s minuscule movement across the sky.
Such evenings make the universe seem a little closer and real for me.
Fascinating, it moves!, and fun and it encourages reflection on the physical reality of our solar system which leads to all sorts of other musing.
This evening it’s still pretty cool. Early night it seemed that the moon’s vertex was almost at a right angle to the other two stars.
That set up gives the mind another excellent reference gauge to track the motion of the moon as the angle of that vertex shifts and
the triangle slowly progresses towards what will be an increasingly Scalene triangle next couple nights.
10:38 mtn. time 
I did notice the moon and what I assumed was Jupiter given its brightness. Pretty conjunction!
I did notice the moon and what I assumed was Jupiter given its brightness. Pretty conjunction!Cool. Late last night I found myself wondering how many of the folks here lived under skies clear enough so they can see the stars. I've gotten to take it for granted having a full vault of stars over head nearly every night, (Although it still ain't like up in Silverton 9,381 feet) then a conversation with a sis made me realize others go months and months, even years and years without ever seeing a star loaded sky. I find that really sad for humanity. Loosing that first hand wonder at the skies and universe, it's probably not an insignificant part of modern people having become so god awful disconnected from the natural world that surrounds us and sustains us.
We've had a few days of cloudy weather so tonights been the first time in a week that I've had a chance to really have a clear view while out with my dog. Jupiter is now noticeably above the straight line between the two starts. "IT MOVES" Truly, life's little pleasures, but after that dramatic start with the moon's passage (and the changing triangle), leaving behind that straight-line slighting benchmark - giving my eye and mind a memorable gauge to use as Jupiter moves further away from the alinement. I'm going to have fun keeping a closer eye, than usual, on Jupiter for awhile."... the Moon's dark limb occulted (cover) the bright, tight double star Gamma Virginis (Porrima)" http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-june-30-july-8/For me what makes this specially cool is that right now there's a straight line between Spica, Jupiter and Gamma Virginis. This means that my eye has another excellent gauge to this time watch Jupiter's ever so tiny progression, but with nightly vigilance I will be able to say, from personal observation, "IT MOVES"
Not only that,
today, our neighbor (and landlady, and friend) saw a badger on our driveway to the country road.
oops, #3 was supposed to be a new post not an edit, oh well.
It’s still a beautiful evening in Colorado.