Sky this Week

The following is a summary of some objects to view in the sky, this week March 9th to March 15th, 2008.

International Space Station

There are no bright passes this week

Sun

On Sunday March 9, the sun rose at 7:23 am and set at 7:02 pm MDT
On Saturday March 15, the sunrise is at 7:13 am and sunset is at 7:09 pm MDT
There are no active regions visible on the solar disc.

Moon

The Moon transitions to first quarter this week so it is a good time to view the Moon’s many fascinating features. Craters, domes, and rilles cast long shadows and it is easier to view various details as the sun rises. The line between light and dark is called the terminator. Generally the best time to view a particular object is a few hours after the terminator passes by it.

Sun Mar 9 the lunation 2.4 (moonset is 9:44 MST). The following features are near the terminator: Endymon, Messala, Geminus, Cleomedes, Mare Crisium, Langrenus, and Petavius
Mon Mar 10 lun 3.4, (moonset is 11 pm) Features are Atlas, Macrobius, Taruntius, Messier, Vallis Rheita, Steinheil, Watt
Tues Mar 11 lun 4.4: Craters Gartner, Hercules,
Wed Mar 12 lun 5.4: Posidonius, Mare Tranquillatis, Lamont, Theophillus, Cyrillus, and Catharina,
Thur Mar 13 lun 6.4: Aristoteles, Eudoxus, Montes Caucasus, and Maurolycus
Fri Mar 14 first quarter at 4:46 am MDT Aristillus, Cassini, Archimedes, Mons Hadley, Hipparchus, Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus, and Arazachel,
Sat Mar 15 lun 8.4 Plato, Erastothenes, Stadius, Rupes Recta, Pitatus, Tycho, & Maginus

Planets

Mars in constellation Gemini, it is 0.5 magnitude in brightness and 8 arc sec across
Saturn is in constellation Leo, it is 19.9 arc sec across and +0.7 magnitude in brightness
Jupiter is in constellation Sagitarrius, it is -1.9 in brightness and 35.6 arc sec across
Mercury moves to constellation Aquarius this week, it is magnitude 0 in brightness and 6 arc sec across
Venus is in constellation Aquarius, it is -3.8 magnitude in brightness and 10.8 arc sec across

Dark Sky

The Moon obscures our early evening dark sky views this week.

Comets (for Sat. Mar 15)

Four comets may be seen in constellation Perseus that are brighter than magnitude 14!
About 6 or 7 of the following list should be visible ( less than magnitude 12) with larger backyard scopes (10 inch+)

17P Holmes in constellation Perseus, magnitude 5.4 and 70 arc min across. On
46P Wirtanen in constellation Perseus is magnitude 10.2 and 5 arc min across
C/2008 C1 Chen-Gao is in constellation Perseus, magnitude 10.4 and 2.6 arc min across
C/2006 W3 Christensen is constellation Perseus, magntiude 13.3 and 23 arc sec across

29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is in constellation Auriga, magnitude 12 and 2.1 arc min across

C/2007 T1 McNaught is in constellation Lepus, 11.3 magnitude 3.3 arc min across
C/2006 Q1 McNaught is in constellation Vela, 11.6 magnitude and 1.6 arc min across

C/2007 W1 Boattini is in constellation Corvus, 12.1 magnitude and 1.4 arc min across
C/2007 B2 Skiff is in constellation Virgo. It is magnitude 13.6 in brightness and 44 arc sec across