THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
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Founded January 1970
"Where life is beautiful all the time."
THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
March 2016 Night Sky Calendar
March!
As we all know, this month spring begins! (Of course, here, spring
started four weeks ago.) Meteorologically, spring starts promptly
on March 1st. Astronomically, we have to wait until March 20th.
Despite this delay, we are close to winter's end and with it comes a
festival of delights! Not least amongst these are the spring stars
now adorning our eastern evening sky and the summer stars rising in
the late evening. Orion and his winter entourage begin the night
well over in the western evening sky, but most are now gone by
midnight. Leo marches regally across the firmament throughout the
night. The Summer Triangle ascends slowly into the eastern post
midnight sky.
Alas, we can no longer see all five naked eye planets simultaneously.
Mercury has vanished into the pre-dawn twilight and won't return to
our sky until April.
However, there's a lot more to see in the March night sky, so away we go!
TUESDAY, MARCH 1: LAST QUARTER MOON
The second full moon in a single month is called the "blue moon."
The second quarter moon -be it the second first quarter or the second
last quarter moon- is called the "magenta moon." We’re not sure why
these moons are so named. The origin of many common phrases remains
unknown. We do know that we can have two full moons or two last
quarter moons in one month because the synodic period -the lunar cycle
duration- is 29.5 days, whereas most months, save the one that just
ended-are at least thirty days long.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2: SATURN 3.6 DEGREES SOUTH OF THE MOON
Saturn is growing ever more prominent as it approaches its June 3rd
opposition. Tonight, Saturn appears close to the waning crescent
moon. See them both rising in the post-midnight sky.
MONDAY, MARCH 7: MOON 3.4 DEGREES NNW OF VENUS (BRONZE EVENT!)
It is unusual to confer just a bronze medal to a Venus-moon close
approach. However,. Venus and the waning crescent moon will be quite
close to the eastern pre-dawn sky and not particularly easy to find.
Also, this month, we'll experience a Jupiter opposition and, of
course, the vernal equinox.
TUESDAY, MARCH 8: JUPITER AT OPPOSITION (SILVER EVENT!!)
Jupiter is at its brightest and, when viewed telescopically, at its
biggest. Today, Earth passes between the Sun and this behemoth
world. Consequently, Jupiter is on Earth's far side relative to the
Sun and it will rise around the time of sunset. Just to spoil the
surprise, Jupiter will be this month's pick planet.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9: NEW MOON
Beginning of lunation cycle 1153
We should point out that today the moon will eclipse the Sun.
However, the totality path will slice through the South Pacific,
which, lamentably, is far from us! We shall see nothing of this
eclipse. Remember, however, that we'll see a partial solar eclipse
next year.
FRIDAY, MARCH 11: SUN ENTERS PISCES
The Sun appears to move through thirteen different constellations each
year. This progression results from Earth's revolution around the
Sun. As Earth moves around its parent star, the latter's position
relative to the background stars changes. Today, the Sun "enters"
Pisces the Fish, the constellation it occupies on the vernal equinox:
first day of spring. The thirteen constellations comprising this
retinue are: PISCES THE FISH; Aries the Ram; Taurus the Bull; Gemini
the Twins; Cancer the Crab; Leo the Lion; Virgo the Maiden; Libra the
Scales; Scorpius the Scorpion; Ophiuchus the Serpent Charmer;
Sagittarius the Archer; Capricornus the Seagoat; and Aquarius the
Water Bearer. The Sun enters Aries the Ram on April 18.
SUNDAY, MARCH 13: DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME RESUMES
A blessing to all us citizens, as nobody has yet managed to invent
electric lighting. Standard time resumes November 6th
TUESDAY, MARCH 15: FIRST QUARTER MOON
FRIDAY, MARCH 18: MOON 5.0 SOUTH OF BEEHIVE STAR CLUSTER
The gibbous moon lingers close to the Beehive Star Cluster, the only
prominent sight within the constellation Cancer the Crab. One shall
still be able to see this cluster despite the lunar light
interference. See both the moon and cluster in the eastern evening
sky.
SUNDAY, MARCH 20: VERNAL EQUINOX (GOLD EVENT!!!)
We gave this the gold?! Well, yes. After all, astronomically, this
protracted, intolerably messy and bitterly cold winter* yields to the
gentler, warmer season of re-birth and beautiful Sun. Though the
meteorologists declared that spring commenced on the 1st, we
astronomers had to wait until the equinox. The Sun continues to
climb; the nights shorten; and we rejoice at the promise of heat and
light and flourishing crops. Astronomically, the Sun has "crossed"
the celestial equator and will ascend above it until the summer
solstice. Any object north of the celestial equator -which is just
the projection of Earth's equator onto the sky- remains above the
horizon for more than 12 hours. The higher the celestial object's
altitude relative to the celestial equator, the greater its duration
of visibility. We'll see the Sun above the horizons for twelve hours
or more each day until September. For that reason alone, the Vernal
Equinox deserves the honor of the month's pick event.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23: FULL MOON
The Crow Moon, the Sap Moon, and the Soft Ground Moon are all
nicknames for the March full moon. The March full moon will either
be either winter's last full moon or spring's first full moon. Either
way, it is the moon associated with longer days and warmer weather:
the time when the sap runs through the trees and the ground softens.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23: MERCURY AT SUPERIOR SOLAR CONJUNCTION
Mercury is at the far side of the Sun relative to Earth, a phase
called "superior solar conjunction. We cannot see Mercury this month
as it lingers too close to the Sun. Today, one would have to look
straight through the Sun in order to see its closest planet.
SUNDAY, MARCH 27: EASTER DAY
Astronomically, Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first
full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox. March
27th is rather early for Easter. Easter can occur anywhere between
March 22 - April 25, inclusive. Every March Easter is isolated,
meaning that last year's Easter was in April and next year's Easter
will be, as well.
MONDAY, MARCH 28: MOON 4.1 DEGREES NORTH OF MARS
We see the gibbous moon swing "close" to the red planet tonight.
Mars is growing ever brighter -see Planet Watch- and tonight will be
quite easy to find owing to the moon's proximity.
TUESDAY, MARCH 29: MOON 3.5 DEGREES NORTH OF SATURN
Did you miss the moon-Mars close approach? Tonight, see Saturn and
the moon together. It is sometimes worth noting that these close
passes are illusory. Great distances separate the moon and planets.
The night sky, however, conceals depth and so we cannot perceive
their true separation.
THURSDAY, MARCH 31: LAST QUARTER MOON
(Here, I will cut and paste the passage I wrote for the month's first
last quarter moon.)
The second full moon in a single month is called the "blue moon."
The second quarter moon -be it the second first quarter or the second
last quarter moon- is called the "magenta moon." We’re not sure why
these moons are so named. The origin of many common phrases remains
unknown. We do know that we can have two full moons or two last
quarter moons in one month because the synodic period -the lunar cycle
duration- is 29.5 days, whereas most months, save the one that just
ended-are at least thirty days long.
PLANET WATCH
MERCURY: Well, this one's easy. Mercury is not visible this month.
It passes into superior solar conjunction on March 23 and will return
to our early evening sky in April. VERDICT: Well, you'd actually
have to leave Earth to find Mercury, so we'll give this one a miss.
VENUS: This spectacular planet is not long for the world, or, for
the sky. Our sister planet descends toward the eastern pre-dawn
horizon and will vanish by early April. VERDICT: Venus admirers
should venture out early to behold this beautiful planet sometime this
month. By early April, it will be exceedingly difficult to observe.
Then, we'll lose it entirely until late summer. It reappears by late
July, but, practically, will be becomes observable again by early
August.
MARS: Keep your eye on Mars! Though it is only slightly brighter
than Saturn at month's beginning, Mars will rapidly brighten over the
next couple of months as it approaches its May opposition. VERDICT:
This is a perfect time to watch Mars because one can see how its
brightness will dramatically increase over the next weeks. Note that
in mid May, Mars will be seven times brighter than it is now.
JUPITER: (PICK PLANET!) The giant planet reaches opposition on
March 8th. This month, Jupiter is at its biggest and brightest of the
year! Jupiter still leads a planetary procession throughout the
night, as Mars, Saturn and, much later, Venus follow behind it.
VERDICT: An excellent month to observe this brilliant planet, one
that outshines all the night sky stars and all the planets, as well,
save Venus.
SATURN: While it remains the dimmest of the visible planets, Saturn
is also intensifying in brightness as it approaches its June
opposition. It rises earlier each evening and brightens throughout
the month. VERDICT: Saturn is not a difficult planet, despite its
comparative dimness. If you miss it this month, you'll have ample
opportunity to see it throughout the spring, summer and autumn.
PLANETS IN ORDER OF DECREASING BRIGHTNESS
VENUS - JUPITER - MARS - SATURN (MERCURY IS NOT VISIBLE.)
*Actually, this winter was the mildest we've experienced since the mid
Triassic, so never mind that bitter and messy balderdash.
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