Mars and Saturn are favorite planets. Mars is red and perhaps the most likely planet to have extraterrestrial life

The nights ahead will be moonless for most of the coming week.

On Monday morning well before sunrise, the gibbous moon appears near the bright red planet Mars.

The full moon, the Snow Moon, rises in the east right after sunset on Monday.

The first quarter moon appears on Sunday night, the night of Valentine’s Day, in the zodiacal constellation Taurus.

You have a wonderful opportunity to spot Mercury low in the southeastern sky Saturday morning.