see http://cantonbecker.com/retrograde for details…
This is the best day of the year to view Jupiter, as it makes it’s closest approach to Earth and will be fully reflecting light from the sun. There will also be plenty of light reflecting off of its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These will be visible on both sides of the planet. Even at its closest approach to the Earth, however, it is not possible to distinguish it as more than a star-like point of light with the naked eye, though a good pair of binoculars are sufficient to reveal it as a disk of light with accompanying system of moons.
This is a “Black Moon” because it is the 3rd New Moon in a season of 4. In some aspects of Paganism, particularly amongst Wiccans, the black moon is considered to be a special time when any rituals, spells, or other workings are considered to be more powerful and effective.[
Watch for the closest conjunction of Venus and Mars since 2008. Look just beneath the crescent moon for bright Venus, and use binoculars to resolve Mars within the same field of view!
Or, better yet, plan a trip to Mars where in the morning light you can view a beautiful Earth + Venus conjunction.