Month: March 2021

Mars continues its western migration appearing high in the western sky just after sunset. The Red Planet’s brightness continues to slowly diminish reaching magnitude +1.4 this month as the orbital separation between Earth and Mars continues to grow.

Venus, having passed conjunction with the Sun, now begins a new appearance as the “evening star” as it peeks above the western horizon just after sunset on the 18^th. As the month progresses, brilliant Venus begins a slow but steady climb into the western evening sky. It will not reach its highest evening altitude above the western horizon until well into December. By the 30^th of April, it should be fairly easy to spot just above the western horizon beginning about 20 minutes after sunset.

As a bonus, tiny Mercury shining at magnitude -1.6, appears next to Venus on the 18^th and climbs well above it by the 30^th. This appearance of Mercury will be one of the best in recent times as it doesn’t reach its greatest elongation from the Sun until May 17^th. Because Venus and Mercury will spend the last half of this month fairly close to the western horizon, a pair of good binoculars will help you to view these two planets.

Jupiter and Saturn remain in view in the early morning rising in the east a couple of hours before the Sun. At magnitude -2.1, Jupiter outshines Saturn at magnitude +0.8. Jupiter is now high enough above the horizon so that views of the giant planet and its moons could be quite rewarding through a small-to-medium-sized telescope. But don’t forget Saturn. Its beautiful ring system is open to 17 degrees from edge-on making the ringed planet a rewarding telescopic target.

The Moon will be last quarter on the 4^th, new on the 12^th, first quarter on the 20^th, and full on the 27^th. If you look to the east around 5 a.m. daylight savings time, the waning lunar crescent will be just following Saturn as they rise above the eastern horizon. On the morning of the 7^th, the waning crescent Moon will be near Jupiter as it rises above the eastern horizon. Looking west on the 16^th, about 45 minutes after sunset, the waxing crescent Moon will be just below the Red Planet Mars.

Due to the closure of New Mexico Tech because of COVID-19 virus concerns, there WILL NOT be a first Saturday of the month star party at the Etscorn Campus Observatory.

Stay safe and Clear Skies!

Jon Spargo

New Mexico Tech Astronomy Club

April 2021

This month the early evening sky features Mars high in the southwest. The Red Planet has been drifting slowly closer and closer toward the Pleiades star cluster (the seven sisters) and will be at its closest approach on the 4^th, when it will be only 2 ½ degrees from the cluster.

Most of the planetary action this month occurs in the early morning about a half hour before sunrise. The stars of this show are Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn. The fun starts on the 5^th, as Mercury and Jupiter rise virtually together with 19 seconds of arc separating them. This close encounter will be best viewed with a pair of good binoculars.

On the 6^th, Mercury will be at its greatest elongation from the Sun for this appearance. Saturn rises earlier in the morning and is a full 8 degrees higher in the sky than Jupiter and Mercury. Venus is lost to our view as it reaches conjunction with the Sun on the 26^th. We will next encounter Venus when it reemerges as the evening star in mid-April.

Mid-March presents us with another visual treat as we have the opportunity to view the Zodiacal Light on the western horizon. If you can find a really dark spot with a view of the western horizon, you may be able to see a dull pyramid of light extending to a point just above the horizon. This light is caused by sunlight reflecting off of a myriad of tiny dust particles along the Earth’s orbital path.

The Moon will be last quarter on the 6^th, new on the 13^th, first quarter on the 21^st, and full on the 28^th. Look to the southeast on the morning of the 9^th and 10^th, about 30 minutes before sunrise, as the waning crescent Moon approaches and passes below Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury. Look high in the southwest sky on the evening of the 19^th, about an hour after sunset, to see the waxing crescent Moon slightly above and to the left of the red planet Mars.

At 2 a.m. on March the 18^th most of us in North America will begin daylight savings time. Spring forward by setting your clocks ahead one hour. Spring begins on the 20^th for the Northern Hemisphere as we reach the equinox at 3:37 a.m. MDT.

Due to the closure of New Mexico Tech because of COVID-19 virus concerns, there WILL NOT be a first Saturday of the month star party at the Etscorn Campus Observatory.

Stay safe and Clear Skies!

Jon Spargo

New Mexico Tech Astronomy Club

March 2021