Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Thursday March 31 to Thursday April 7
The New Moon is Friday April 1. Daylight Savings ends Sunday April 3. Mars is readily visible in the morning sky just above bright Venus with Saturn between. Over the week Saturn rises towards Mars and the pair are closest on the 5th. Jupiter is visible low in the twilight.
The New Moon is Friday April 1. Daylight Savings ends Sunday April 3.
Morning sky on Saturday April 2 as seen
from Adelaide at 6:33 am ACDST (60 minutes before sunrise). Venus and Mars form a line with Saturn close to Mars. Jupiter is low to the horizon. The inset shows the telescopic view of Venus at this time.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent
local time (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). 
Elsewhere
in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent
time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury is lost to view.
Venus is high in the morning twilight and is moving away from Mars. Venus forms a line with Mars and Saturn.
Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/
Labels: weekly sky
Monday, March 21, 2022
Thursday March 24 to Thursday March 31
The Last Quarter Moon is Friday March 25. At the beginning of the week all 5 bright planets are visible in the morning twilight. Mars is readily visible in the morning sky just above bright Venus although the pair are drifting apart. Saturn rises towards Venus as Mercury sinks towards the horizon, Jupiter is now visible low in the twilight. On the28th the crescent Moon forms a line with Mars and Venus with Saturn below, on the 29th the crescent Moon forms a triangle with Mars, Venus and Saturn. On the 31st the thin crescent moon is close to Jupiter in the twilight.
The Last Quarter Moon is Friday March 25. The Moon is at Perigee, when it is closest to the Earth, on the 24th.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (30 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).
Elsewhere
in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent
time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury sinks towards the horizon and is lost to view early in the week.
Venus is high in the morning twilight and is moving away from Mars. On the28th the crescent Moon forms a line with Mars and Venus with Saturn below, on the 29th the crescent Moon forms a triangle with Mars, Venus and Saturn.
Jupiter returns to the morning twilight. On the 31st the thin crescent moon is close to Jupiter in the twilight.
Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/
Labels: weekly sky
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Thursday March 17 to Thursday March 24
The Full Moon is Friday March 18. The Earth is at equinox on the 21st. Mars is readily visible in the morning sky just above bright Venus. During the week the pair begin to drift apart. Saturn rises towards Venus as Mercury sinks towards the horizon.
The Full Moon is Friday March 18. The Earth is at equinox on the 21st, when the night and day are approximately equal lengths.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).
Whole sky on Saturday March 19, 20:53 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen). Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades can be seen above the northern horizon. Between the bright star Canopus and the Southern Cross are a wealth of binocular objects to discover.
Elsewhere
in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent
time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury Mercury sinks towards the horizon.
Venus is high in the morning twilight and is moving away from Mars.
Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/
Labels: weekly sky
Tuesday, March 08, 2022
Thursday March 10 to Thursday March 17
The First Quarter Moon is Thursday March 10. Mars is readily visible in the morning sky just above bright Venus. During the week the pair come closer and are closest on the 16th. Then Saturn rises towards Venus as Mercury sinks towards the horizon.
The First Quarter Moon is Thursday March 10. The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth, on the 11th.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).
Whole sky on Saturday March 12, 21:04 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen). Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades can be seen above the northern horizon. Between the bright star Canopus and the Southern Cross are a wealth of binocular objects to discover, the waxing Moon makes them harder to see.
Elsewhere
in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent
time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury Mercury sinks towards the horizon.
Venus is high in the morning twilight and is moving closer to Mars. The pair are closest on the 16th.
Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/
Labels: weekly sky
Wednesday, March 02, 2022
Thursday March 3 to Thursday March 10
The New Moon is Thursday March 3, the First Quarter Moon is Thursday March 10. Mars is readily visible in the morning sky just above bright Venus. During the week the pair come closer. On the 3rd Mercury and Saturn are very close, fitting within a medium power telescope eye piece. Then Saturn rises towards Venus.
The New Moon is Thursday March 3, the First Quarter Moon is Thursday March 10. The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth, on the 11th.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent
local time (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). the inset shows the approximate binocular view of the pair.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).
Elsewhere
in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent
time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury On the 3rd Mercury and Saturn are very
close, fitting within a medium power telescope eye piece. Mercury then sinks towards the horizon, as Saturn climbs towards Venus
Venus is high in the morning twilight and is moving closer to Mars.
Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/
Labels: weekly sky
Tuesday, March 01, 2022
Southern Skywatch March 2022 edition is now out!
Morning sky on Tuesday March 29 showing the eastern morning sky as seen from Adelaide at 6:02 am ACDST (90 minutes before sunrise). Saturn and Venus are at their closest and the thin crescent moon, Mars, Venus and Saturn form a triangle.
Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise), click to embiggen.
The March edition of Southern Skywatch
is now up. The main action is now in the morning skies with five bright
planets, Venus, Mars, Mercury and Saturn (and then Jupiter) form nice patterns.
March 1; the thin crescent Moon, Mercury, and Saturn form a triangle in the eastern sky below the pair of Mars and Venus in the morning twilight. March 3; New Moon. March 3; Saturn and Mercury very close. March 10; First Quarter Moon. March 11; apogee Moon. March 16; Mars and Venus at their closest. March 18; Full Moon. March 21; Earth at Equinox. March 25; Last Quarter Moon. March 24; perigee Moon. March 28; Planetary massing of the thin crescent moon, Mars, and Venus form a line, with Saturn to the side of Venus in the morning twilight. March 29; Planetary massing, Saturn and Venus are at their closest and the thin crescent moon, Mars, Venus and Saturn form a triangle.
Mercury is in the morning sky, and is readily visible in the eastern morning twilight in the first half of the month then, about an hour before sunrise. Then it rapidly sinks towards the horizon. Mercury starts the month below the pair of Venus and Mars, just above Saturn. On the 1st, the thin crescent Moon, Mercury, and Saturn form a triangle in the eastern sky an hour before sunrise below the pair of Mars and Venus. On the 3rd Saturn and Mercury are very close (0.7 degrees apart) and can be seen together in medium power telescope eye pieces. Mercury sinks lower as the month progresses, and on the 21st and 22nd Mercury and Jupiter are close low in the twilight, within a binocular field of each other.
Venus starts the month high in the eastern morning twilight and is readily visible an hour before sunrise below Mars. Venus and Mars form a pair which slowly come closer over the Month, the pair are closest on the 16th at about 4 degrees, then they draw apart again. Saturn comes closer to Venus during the month. On the 28th the thin crescent moon, Mars, and Venus form a line, with Saturn to the side of Venus. On the 29th, Saturn and Venus are at their closest and the thin crescent moon, Mars, Venus and Saturn form a triangle. Venus is a crescent/First quarter shape in telescopes at the beginning of the month and will wax as the month progresses to a half moon shape by the end of the month.
Earth is at equinox on Monday, 21 March. At this time day and night are roughly equal in duration.
Mars is high the morning sky in March, Mars makes an attractive triangle with Venus and Mercury at the beginning of the month, and is readily visible an hour before sunrise, above bright Venus. Venus and Mars form a pair which slowly come closer over the month, the pair are closest on the 16th at about 4 degrees, then they draw apart again. Mars slowly brightens but is outshone by brilliant Venus. Later in the month Mars, Venus and Saturn form a triangle. On the 28th and then the 29th the sight of the pair of Venus and Mars, the thin crescent Moon, and Saturn in the eastern sky an hour before sunrise will be impressive.
Jupiter returns to the morning sky from mid month but is really only visible in the twilight glow in the last part of the month. On the 21st and 22nd Mercury and Jupiter are close low in the twilight, within a binocular field of each other, and you may need binoculars to see them clearly. on the 31st the thin crescent Moon is close to Jupiter low in the twilight.
Saturn climbs higher in the morning sky in March, first climbing towards Mercury tehn Venus. On the 3rd Saturn and Mercury are very close (0.7 degrees apart) and can be seen together in medium power telescope eye pieces. Saturn comes closer to Venus during the month. On the 28th the thin crescent moon, Mars, and Venus form a line, with Saturn to the side of Venus. On the 29th, Saturn and Venus are at their closest and the thin crescent moon, Mars, Venus and Saturn form a triangle.
Moon: Perigee March 24 and at apogee March 11.Labels: southern skywatch
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