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Celestial Events This Week

As we dive into the week, various astronomical phenomena unfold in the night sky. Here’s a detailed look at what to expect in the coming days.

Friday, March 21

By 10 PM local daylight time, the constellation Canes Venatici, known as the Hunting Dogs, will rise about 45° in the eastern sky. This star pattern, found beneath the Big Dipper’s handle, houses several intriguing deep-sky objects.

One noteworthy object is M63, also referred to as the Sunflower Galaxy, which is located close to Canes Venatici’s brightest star, Cor Caroli (magnitude 2.9). To locate M63, move your telescope about 5.3° northeast from Cor Caroli. At magnitude 8.6, this beautiful spiral galaxy exhibits a prominent, glowing nucleus surrounded by diffuse spiral arms. The galaxy’s dimensions are approximately 10’ along its longer axis and about 6’ along the shorter one, making it accessible for both novice and experienced stargazers.

With the Moon set to rise early tomorrow, observers have a full night to explore this captivating galaxy.

Sunrise: 7:01 A.M.
Sunset: 7:14 P.M.
Moonrise: 1:54 A.M.
Moonset: 10:36 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (58%)

Saturday, March 22

The Last Quarter Moon will occur at 7:29 A.M. EDT today.

Before the Moon rises, conduct a viewing of asteroid 3 Juno, situated near the boundaries of Ophiuchus, Scorpius, and Libra. Juno will come to a halt against the backdrop of stars this afternoon at 2 P.M. EDT, ceasing its eastward movement and beginning to curve westward. Currently at magnitude 10.7, Juno is best observed with a small telescope and lies approximately 7.7° northwest of the bright star Zeta Ophiuchi (magnitude 2.5).

While observing in this region, take time to find two Messier globular clusters in Ophiuchus: M10 and M12. From Zeta Ophiuchi, move your telescope 9° north to M12 (magnitude 6.7), which has a size of about 16’. Just over 3° southeast of M12 is M10, with similar brightness (magnitude 6.6) and a slightly larger spread (20’). Observers can challenge themselves to discern the differing concentrations of the two clusters.

Later tonight, Venus will reach inferior conjunction at 9 P.M. EDT, becoming invisible for the time being but expected to return to the morning sky by the end of the month.

Sunrise: 7:00 A.M.
Sunset: 9:15 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:51 A.M.
Moonset: 11:30 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (48%)

Sunday, March 23

Asteroid 4 Vesta will become stationary today at 1 A.M. EDT.

Positioned in Libra, Vesta can be seen early in the morning sky. It lies just under 3° north of the star Zubenesch (magnitude 2.6), becoming visible at about 5 A.M. at an altitude of 40° in the southern sky. Currently at magnitude 6.5, Vesta is an easier target than Juno and should be visible with binoculars under dark conditions.

While observing, try to resolve Alpha Librae, also known as Zubenelgenubi, into its two components, which are separated by about 4’ and can sometimes be viewed with the naked eye. The brighter star shines at magnitude 2.8, while the fainter companion is magnitude 5.2. This binary pair is believed to be physically linked, located roughly 77 light-years from Earth.

Sunrise: 6:58 A.M.
Sunset: 9:16 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:42 A.M.
Moonset: 12:32 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (38%)

Monday, March 24

Mercury reaches inferior conjunction at 4 P.M. EDT today, with plans to re-emerge in the morning sky alongside Venus, although this won’t happen until early April.

The Moon will pass 0.9° south of Pluto at 5 P.M. EDT. Due to the waning crescent’s brightness, it may obscure visibility of the dwarf planet, making it difficult to spot without optimal conditions.

This evening provides excellent viewing conditions to observe NGC 2403, a beautiful spiral galaxy located in Camelopardalis the Giraffe. At around 9 P.M. local daylight time, NGC 2403 will be positioned 23° above Polaris, the North Star. Alternatively, look approximately 7.7° northwest of the star Muscida (magnitude 3.4). This galaxy, with a magnitude of 8.9, reveals itself as an oval glow through binoculars and shows more detail through telescopes. Its size stretches nearly 20’ in its longest dimension, characterized by a bright nucleus and diffuse spiral arms, similar to M63 observed earlier in the week.

Sunrise: 6:56 A.M.
Sunset: 9:17 P.M.
Moonrise: 4:25 A.M.
Moonset: 1:42 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (28%)

Tuesday, March 25

This evening starts a series of events centered around Jupiter and its Galilean moons as they transit the gas giant.

Tonight, Europa and Ganymede will transit together, with Europa leading this time. Unfortunately, only observers in the western half of the U.S. will witness this celestial phenomenon, as Jupiter, positioned in Taurus, sets in the west post-sunset.

Tonight, the brightest object in Taurus shines at magnitude -2.1 and appears just 10° high by local midnight. East Coast viewers will observe two moons align to the north and south of Jupiter at this time, with Europa, the northern moon, just slipping in front of the planet’s disk. Ganymede will be visible to the southeast of Europa.

For those in the Midwest, the transit of Ganymede will commence around 12:40 A.M. CDT while both moons continue across the disk as Jupiter sets across the U.S.

Sunrise: 6:55 A.M.
Sunset: 9:18 P.M.
Moonrise: 5:01 A.M.
Moonset: 2:55 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (19%)

Wednesday, March 26

This evening, Io, the innermost Galilean moon, will transit Jupiter along with its shadow. Coming around after reaching its farthest point in orbit, Io will approach Jupiter’s southeastern limb as night unfolds across the U.S.

Io’s transit will initiate at 10:05 P.M. EDT, followed by the shadow’s appearance on Jupiter’s cloud tops at 11:18 P.M. At this time, Jupiter will still be nearly 20° high, providing a great opportunity for East Coast observers after the missed opportunity the previous night.

As Io’s shadow nearly centers on Jupiter’s disk about an hour later, the gas giant will be appearing low, yet visible for those in the East. Meanwhile, Ganymede and Europa will be maintained further from the horizon, allowing observers to witness their dance around the planet.

Sunrise: 6:53 A.M.
Sunset: 9:19 P.M.
Moonrise: 5:32 A.M.
Moonset: 4:10 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (11%)

Thursday, March 27

In our last stargazing opportunity of the week, we will observe Jupiter as its shadows extend across the celestial canvas. Tonight, both Io and Europa will exit their respective shadow eclipses.

At the beginning of the evening, the two moons will be positioned flanking the gas giant. As Io emerges from its shadow at 10:45 P.M. EDT, it will be approximately 20” from Jupiter’s northeastern limb, having traversed behind the planet.

Not long after, Europa will escape the shadow around 11:50 P.M. CDT, becoming visible at a distance of 32” from Jupiter. This variation in timing is due to the differences in their orbital paths around the gas giant.

Sunrise: 6:51 A.M.
Sunset: 9:20 P.M.
Moonrise: 5:59 A.M.
Moonset: 5:27 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (4%)

Friday, March 28

This morning, Venus will be accessible for observation prior to sunrise, though a clear horizon is crucial for visibility. The planet shines dramatically at magnitude -4.1, hovering only 4° above the horizon about half an hour before sunrise. If located, it can be viewed with a telescope, revealing its delicate 2% lit crescent.

Alongside Venus, Mercury, Saturn, and the Moon will rise shortly before the Sun, but finding these planets will be challenging. Observers are encouraged to securely pack away equipment before sunlight begins to brighten the sky. Sharpened eyes may be rewarded with glimpses of the Moon as it approaches the New phase, although spotting it will be a challenge.

Today, the Moon will pass 9° south of Venus at 10 A.M. EDT.

Sunrise: 6:50 A.M.
Sunset: 9:21 P.M.
Moonrise: 6:24 A.M.
Moonset: 6:43 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (1%)

Source
www.astronomy.com