Date: March 2, 2012
Title: Observing With Webb in March 2012
Podcasters: Rob Webb
Organization: Physics teacher at Pequea Valley High School
Links: http://mrwebb.podbean.com ; https://sites.google.com/site/mrwebbonline/ ; http://twitter.com/mrwebbpv
Description:This podcast discusses the events in the night sky for the month of March, concentrating on the visible planets and how the Moon moves by them.
Bio: Rob Webb is a physics, astronomy, and sustainability teacher at Pequea Valley High School in Pennsylvania. His passions include teaching, astronomy, astrophotography, planetariums, running, reading, and golf. A proud graduate of Dickinson College in 2005, he also obtained a Master¹s Degree in Science Education from Penn State University after conducting research in regards to the current state of planetariums in Pennsylvania. Feel free to contact him at rob_webb@pequeavalley.org
Sponsor: This episode of the “365 Days of Astronomy” podcast is sponsored by — NO ONE. We still need sponsors for many days in 2012, so please consider sponsoring a day or two. Just click on the “Donate” button on the lower left side of this webpage, or contact us at signup@365daysofastronomy.org.
Transcript:
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March 2012 is a great time to be looking for planets in the sky, since Venus, Mars, and Jupiter are all up after sunset for the whole month, Jupiter and Venus are moving close to and then past each other, Mars is brightest for the year, and the Moon will be tracking close to these planets throughout the month.
EVENTS…
7th – Close Encounter – Moon & Mars – Go out after sunset and find the almost full Moon in the East-. Mars is about 10? (the width of one fist at arm’s length) to the left of the Moon. Look for the reddish object below Leo. Watch them rise throughout the night and set in the West by dawn.
Full Moon – 8th (Visible all night – East around sunset, West around Sunrise) – Hopefully it snows so you can really see wonderfully by the light of the Moon – Good for night hikes.
11th – Close Encounter – Moon & Saturn – Look to the SE around midnight and find the gibbous Moon rising. Saturn will be the bright object about 6? above the Moon. Spica, Virgo’s brightest star, is a little to the right of these two, making a nice triangle.
11th – Daylight Savings Time Begins
12th, 13th – Planetary Close Encounter – Venus and Jupiter – only about 3? apart in the West after sunset until 9pm.
Last Quarter Moon – 14th (Visible from midnight into the morning)
20th – Spring Equinox – Astronomically the first day of Spring, even though meteorologically Spring starts in the beginning of March. Here’s some more info.
New Moon – 22nd (darkest skies)
24th – 27th – Sunset Moon & Planets – Jupiter, Venus, the Pleiades, and Taurus make a great sight in the West after sunset as the crescent Moon travels through night after night. Get you camera out for this one! See the picture below.
25th – Close Encounter – Moon & Jupiter – Look West after sunset. The thin crescent Moon will be less than 3? to the right of Jupiter. Brilliant for pictures with zoom lenses. Also note that Venus is just 10? above them.
26th – Close Encounter – Moon & Venus – Look to the West after sunset and you’ll see Venus less than 3? to the right of the crescent Moon.
First Quarter Moon – 30th (Visible until midnight)
PLANETS…well, the ones visible with your naked eye
Planets you can see around Sunset – Mercury (W), Venus (WSW), Jupiter (WSW), Mars (E)
Planets you can see throughout the night – Mars (E->W), Saturn (E->W)
Planets you can see in the Morning – Mars (W), Saturn (SW)
Mercury – Only worth looking for until the 10th of the month, during which time it’s 10? above the horizon. Bring binoculars and look west after sunset.
VENUS – Look toward the West after sunset. From now until May, Venus will be very prominent, then quickly get lower and disappear by the end of May. If you’re looking with your naked eye, it is the brightest object about 30? or more (three fist-widths) above the western horizon. Below the horizon after 9:00pm. Close to the Moon on the 26th right after sunset toward the West. If you’re looking through a telescope at dusk, you may see it in its half-lit phase. It will become more of a crescent in May. Extra Challenge! Take a picture of Venus near the crescent Moon and Pleiades on the 26th, or when it’s super close to Jupiter on the 12th and 13th. Submit it to me and I’ll show it off next month right here.
MARS – March is a great time to look at Mars – it’s brightest for this year this month and is up all night. In the East after sunset. Look for the constellation of Leo and look for the reddish hued point of light right in the middle – use a star chart to help. Close to the Moon on the 7th.
JUPITER – About 30? above the Western horizon right at sunset and sets around 9pm. Close to the Moon on the 25th. Extra Challenge! Take a picture of Jupiter near the crescent Moon on the 25th, or when it’s super close to Venus on the 12th and 13th. Submit it to me and I’ll show it off next month right here.
Saturn – Rising in the SE around 9pm and setting in the west around sunrise. Saturn will be up to 40? above the southern horizon at 2am. Near the Moon on the morning of the 11th.
CONSTELLATIONS… Look straight up and you’ll see…
After Sunset (sunset is around 5:30-6:30pm) – Auriga (Taurus is right nearby), Gemini
Between Sunset and Midnight – Cancer, Gemini, Lynx, and Leo (with Mars) later in the month –
Midnight – Leo, Leo Minor, Ursa Major’s legs
Early Morning – Corona Borealis, Hercules, Boötes
End of podcast:
365 Days of Astronomy
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