March 2016 – Skies News

03/7/2016
March Skies by Dick Cookman

Highlights: Comet Journal, Martian Landers, Meteor Showers, Spring Equinox, Planet Plotting, March Moon

Focus Constellations: Camelopardalis, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Perseus, Auriga, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Lynx, Leo, Coma Berenices, Canes Venatici, Bootes

Comet Journal

There are no bright comets decorating the skies of March. Comets C/2014 S2 (PanSTARRS) and C/2013 US10 (Catalina) are at magnitude 9 and will grow dimmer as Spring progresses. Each will require a a 4 inch diameter telescope for adequate viewing. Comet Catalina is between Camelopardalis and Perseus in the early evening in March, C/2014 S2 PanSTARRS is in the tail of Draco and by month’s end will be approaching the cup of the Ursa Major.

Comet C/2013 X1 (PanSTARRS) is a long period comet at 8th magnitude and is moving through the eastern fish in Pisces in early March. In April, It will be in Aquarius when at perihelion on the other side of the Sun. When closest to Earth in June and July, it may reach naked eye visibility at 5th or 6th magnitude but will be south of Capricornus in southern hemisphere skies.

Mars Landers

Opportunity is in Marathon Valley to examine the phyllosilicate clay minerals which were discovered via satellite spectral studies. On Sol 4263 (Jan. 20, 2016), the rover began two sols of investigation using the robotic arm instruments. The target (named Joseph Collin after a member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition) is an unconsolidated pile of coarse, dark grains. On each sol, extensive Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaics were collected. Each was followed with a unique placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) for elemental identification. Opportunity has been slipping and sliding as it maneuvers up the steep (~30°) north facing slope on the south side of the valley to reach “Knudsen Ridge.”

Opportunity performed the first of two steep climbs on Sol 4269 (Jan. 26, 2016), of just less than 16 feet (5 meters). On the next sol, the rover ascended further up slope about 14 feet (4.4 meters). The rover then conducted extensive Navigation Camera (Navcam) and Panoramic Camera (Pancam) imaging surveys of the potential rock targets and the ridge outcrop in front of the rover in preparation for extensive in-situ (contact) science campaigns on the geologic units high up on the ridge line.

Opportunity started the in-situ (contact) investigation of the site on Sol 4291 (Feb. 18, 2016). The rover rolled about 27 inches (68 centimeters) towards the first surface target, called “Charles Caugee” (named for a member of the Corps of Discovery). After the successful move, more documentary imagery was collected using both the Panoramic Camera (Pancam) and Navigation Camera (Navcam).

On Sol 4295 (Feb. 22, 2016), the robotic arm was used to collect a detailed Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic. Future plans include engaging the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) to collect more elemental information. As of Sol 4296 (Feb. 23, 2016), the solar array energy production was 543 watt-hours. During 12+ years of Martian exploration, Opportunity has traveled 26.51 miles (42.66 kilometers).

Curiosity is climbing the lower slopes of Mt. Sharp over the sandstones of the Stimson Unit of the Murray formation. The sandstone of the Stimson over which the rover has been traveling since August 27th displays some large scale cross-bedded layers typical of windblown sand deposited as dunes on Earth.

Upon entering the Bagnold Dune Field on the northwestern flank of Mt. Sharp, the rover conducted a detailed examination of a large active dune (Namib Dune) to determine the rate of movement of the dune and the nature of the sand grains. Upon completion of these studies, Curiosity proceeded around the dune on Sol 1244 (Feb. 4, 2016) to examine an exposed patch of Murray formation bedrock. The ChemCam was utilized to determine the composition of the rock and the included nodules at targets dubbed Kudis and Tinkas. The rover then started a trek toward the “Naukluft Plateau” on Sol 1249. Mission scientists planned to combine travel with measurements of the Martian atmosphere, observation of the bedrock that the rover is traversing, and any dunes or ripples passed on the trip. A series of 50 to 70 meter drives resulted in traveling halfway to the plateau by Sols 1265-1265 (Feb. 24, 2016) and completing the trip to the eastern flank of the plateau by Sols 1273-1274 (Mar, 4, 2016).

Meteor Showers

March meteors are few and far between with no major showers scheduled for the month. However, because of the steep angle that the ecliptic makes with the evening horizon, March is a good time to view the zodiacal light –– sunlight reflected off the dust from ancient comets and broken up meteoroids dispersed in the inner part of the orbital plane of the solar system. If you are favored by dark skies unpolluted by city and town skyglow or household insecurity lights, look for the faint glow extending up from the western horizon after the Sun sets.

Spring Equinox

The Spring (Vernal) Equinox at 12:30AM EDT on the 20th occurs at the location in Earth’s orbit where the axis is tipped away from the direction of orbital motion and is aligned at right angles to a line congruent with Earth’s equatorial plane which connects Earth with the Sun. This causes the Sun to appear overhead at solar noon at the equator and results in all locations on Earth having approximately 12 daylight hours and 12 hours of night.

Since Earth’s axis undergoes a slow wobble or precession over 26,000 years, the equinox position in our orbit gradually moves so that the alignment of the Sun, Earth, and the distant constellations changes over time. 2000 years ago the alignment included Aries, but it now includes Pisces instead. The next constellation to align with the Sun and Earth will be Aquarius. That will occur at the beginning of the glorious age predicted by in the song by James Rado & Gerome Ragni (lyrics), and Galt MacDermot (music) for the musical “Hair” in 1967 and released as a single by the “Fifth Dimension” in 1969. Until then the horoscopes that appear in the newspapers will only be 2000 years out of date.

Ancient Babylonians marked the rebirth of the natural world on the first new Moon following the Spring Equinox. Phoenicians and Persians and their fertile crescent predecessors also started the New Year with a 13 day Spring festival falling around the Vernal Equinox. The original Roman New Year was associated with the Spring Equinox and began March 1st.

In 153 B.C., New Years Day was moved to the 1st day of the month of the deity Janus, the god of change and beginnings. However, in succeeding years, it was often celebrated on the Spring Equinox until Julius Caesar fixed it as the 1st of January when he established his solar calendar in 46 B.C because the calendar was no longer in sync with the Sun. Medieval authorities abolished the January 1st “pagan” festivals and variously marked Christmas, March 1st, or the Spring equinox as the beginning of the New Year. Pope Gregory established the current calendar in 1582, moving New Years Day back to Jan. 1st.

Indigenous American cultures more typically associated the new year with the winter solstice or the 1st new moon following the winter solstice.

Planet Plotting

Morning planets in March include dim Neptune (+8.0) in Aquarius, brighter Saturn (+0.5 to +0.4) in Ophiuchus and Mars (+0.3 to -0.5) in Scorpius, and brilliant Venus (-3.9 to -3.8) which moves from Capricornus to Aquarius during the month. Neptune and Venus rise just before the Sun and are found within 0.5° of one another on the 10th.

Saturn and Mars appear in the eastern sky in the wee hours after midnight and are in the southern sky before dawn.
Mercury (-0.3 to -1.6) moves from Aquarius to Pisces and joins Uranus (+5.9) in Pisces in the early evening western sky just after sunset. Jupiter (-2.5 to -2.4) in Leo is at opposition and at its biggest and brightest apparition of the year on the 23rd when it rises at sunset and sets at dawn.

Planet……Constellation……Magnitude……Planet Passages

Sun…….Aquarius, Pisces…..-26.8………..New Moon, ……………………………………………………..3/8, 8:54PM EST Mercury..Aquarius, Pisces….-0.3 to -1.6
……………………………………………………..Superior Conjunction ……………………………………………………..3/23, 4:00PM EDT Venus..Capricornus, Aquarius..-3.9 to -3.8…Neptune, 0.5°N, ……………………………………………………..3/10, 10:00AM EDT Mars….Scorpius……………+0.3 to -0.5
Jupiter….Leo………………..-2.5 to -2.4…..Opposition ………………………………………………………3/23, 4:00PM EDT
Saturn….Ophiuchus…………+0.5 to +0.4 Uranus….Pisces……………….+5.9
Neptune..Aquarius……………+8.0

March Moon

The New Moon on March 8th at 8:54PM EST marks the beginning of Lunation 1153 which starts with a total solar eclipse in Indonesia and ends 29.91 days later with the New Moon on April 7th at 7:24AM EDT.

The Full Moon in March is in Virgo and occurs at 8:01AM EST on the 23rd. It will present a dim penumbral eclipse at dawn. It was referred to as the “Fish Moon” in Colonial America. Celts referred to it as “Moon of Winds” and Chinese call it “Sleepy Moon.” To Medieval English it was the “Chaste Moon” and Anishinaabe (Chippewa and Ojibwe) of northern Michigan celebrate it as the “Onaabani-giizis” (Snowcrust Moon).

Perigee distance is 223,389 miles or 56.37 Earth radii on the 10th at 2:04AM EST. The Moon is at the apogee position in orbit (maximum orbital distance) at 252,355 miles (63.68 Earth radii) from Earth on the 25th at 10:17AM EDT.

Planet..Constellation..Magnitude..Moon Passage..Moon ………………………………………………………………….Phase/Age

Sun………Aquarius……..-26.8……………8:54AM EST, 3/8 ……………………………………………………..New ~ 0 days Mercury..Aquarius………-0.6………4.0°N, 10PM EST, 3/7 …………………………………………Waning Crescent ~ 28.51 days Venus…..Capricornus..-3.8…………4.0°N, 6AM EST, 3/7 …………………………………………Waning Crescent ~ 27.85 days Mars…….Scorpius…….-0.5…………4.0°N, 3PM EDT, 3/28 …………………………………………Waning Gibbous ~ 20.25 days Jupiter……Leo…….-2.4…………2.0°S, Midnight EDT, 3/21
…………………………………………Waxing Gibbous ~ 12.63 days
Saturn..Ophiuchus…+0.5…………4.0°N, 2AM EST, 3/2 …………………………………………Waning Gibbous ~ 22.68 days Saturn..Ophiuchus…+0.4…………3.0°N, 11AM EDT, 3/29 …………………………………………Waning Gibbous ~ 21.09 days Uranus….Pisces…….+5.9………….1.9°S, 8PM EST, 3/10 …………………………………………Waxing Crescent ~ 2.46 days
Neptune..Aquarius…+8.0…………1.95°N, 6AM EST, 3/8 …………………………………………Waning Crescent ~ 28.85 days