Monthly Night Sky Report: March 2023

  Introduction

    February ended with a couple of major snowstorms over Utah. The clouds, of course, prohibit any sort of stargazing. A few lucky observers may have been able to spot the Moon, planets, or brighter stars through the clouds, however. During early February, I was able to go to one of my favorite dark sky locations and capture a few images of the Zodiacal Light and Comet ZTF. I will share the best images in a future post.

    Typically, March brings a few snowstorms and rain to Utah. The current weather forecast shows that this trend will continue. Astronomically speaking, March will bring a conjunction between the two brightest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Venus, the chance to view the Zodiacal Light, and the Vernal Equinox. This post will also highlight the Messier objects in Hydra.

             

Mercury

      At the start of the month, Mercury will be located in the morning sky, rising shortly before the Sun. Mercury and Saturn will meet in the morning sky on the 2nd, with Mercury outshining the more distant Saturn. Unfortunately for Utahns, this conjunction won't be able to be seen due to our northern latitude and the eastern mountains. Mercury will fall closer to the Sun and reach superior conjunction on the 17th. After Mercury's conjunction with the Sun, it will return to the evening sky. On the 27th of March, a conjunction between Mercury and Jupiter will occur. At this time, the pair of planets can be found less than 2° apart. 

  

Venus

    Venus and Jupiter have been approaching each other throughout February. On March 1st, the pair will finally meet in the evening sky. An observer using a simple pair of binoculars should be able to see both of the planets as well as the Galilean Moons of Jupiter in a single field of view. Following this early month conjunction, this pair of bright planets will drift apart as Venus pulls away from the Sun and Jupiter falls ever closer. A two-day-old Moon can be found below Venus on the 23rd with a three-day-old Moon found just above our sister planet the following evening. 

    

Mars

    Mars will be found in Taurus the Bull for most of March, shining brightly near Aldebaran, the red eye of the Bull. The major surface features of Mars can still be seen on a clear and steady night. The first part of the month will offer observers the chance to view Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system. When I post my mid-month check-in, Valles Marineris, the "Grand Canyon" on Mars will be visible. By the end of March, Mars will pass into Gemini and be found close to the open star cluster, M35, which was highlighted in my December Night Sky Report. A pair of binoculars will reveal this pair on the 29th where they can be found about 1° apart. For observers with a telescope, use a low-power eyepiece to reveal a star-studded background and the bright reddish-orange Mars in a single field of view. The Moon can be found near Mars on the 28th.

Jupiter

Saturn

     

    Jupiter will find itself close to Venus on the first night in March. After this conjunction, Venus will appear to rise higher in the western sky, away from the Sun, while Jupiter sinks closer to the horizon, falling closer to the Sun. This means the best chance for observers to view Jupiter will come earlier in the month, while Jupiter remains somewhat high above the horizon. On the evening of the Venus and Jupiter conjunction, observers can use a pair of binoculars or a telescope to view both planets together. Either instrument will offer views of the Galilean Moons as well as the 85% lit disk of Venus. The one-day-old Moon will join Jupiter in the evening sky on the 22nd, but will likely be too slim to notice.   

    Saturn recently crossed over to a planet best viewed in the morning hours before sunrise. The best chance for viewing Saturn will come at the end of the month when it rises above the Utah mountains about an hour before the Sun.  

   

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    The two outermost planets can be viewed through a pair of binoculars but will look their best through a telescope. Uranus can be found in the constellation of Cetus in the western sky during March. Throughout the month, Venus is climbing higher in the sky and will meet with Uranus on the 30th. Six days prior to this conjunction, a thin, crescent, 14% lit Moon can be found less than 2° to the upper right of Uranus.

    Neptune will reach conjunction with the Sun on the 15th and will not be visible during March.

The Zodiacal Light 

   March continues the trend set in February and will not offer any major meteor showers. This month will offer another chance of viewing the Zodiacal Light, however. To view the Zodiacal Light, an observer will need to travel away from all sources of light pollution and have a clear view of the western horizon. This light is dim and is often mistaken as the glow from the Sun at dusk. In fact, this light is also referred to as the "false dusk" for this reason. The Zodiacal Light will start at the western horizon and flow upwards through Aries and Taurus. It will appear as a cone of light with the largest part on the horizon and the tip upwards, toward Taurus. I like to think of it as an ice cream cone that has been dropped on the ground.   

Spot Me....🕵️  

    For the first part of March, observers should focus their attention on Hyrda rising above the southeastern horizon after sunset. Hydra is the largest of the modern constellations stretching over 100° in our night sky. Even though this is the largest constellation, it is home to only three Messier objects. The first image below shows the night sky as an observer faces south-southeast around midnight. The second image shows the same area of the sky only with constellation lines and labels as well as the brightest stars labeled to help identify this region of the sky. 

The sky as an observer faces south-southeast.

The sky as an observer faces south-southeast with constellation lines and labels and the bright stars labeled.

    

    The first Messier object is M48 (aka NGC 2548) an open star cluster. This object can be found near the head of Hydra the water snake, but closer to the constellation Monoceros. This open cluster will look similar to M44, the Beehive Cluster in Cancer that was highlighted in my December 2022 Night Sky Report. The image below shows the location of M48.

 

Location of M48 in Hydra.

    The next target is M68 (aka NGC 4590), a globular star cluster. This object can be located above the tail of Hydra. See the image below for the location of M68.

Location of M68 in Hyrda.

  The final target in Hydra, M83 (aka Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, NGC 5236) is a spiral galaxy. This galaxy can be located off of the tip of the tail of Hydra. See the image below for the location of M83.

 

Location of M83 in Hydra.

 

     M68 and M83 might best be viewed later in the year when Hydra is higher in the sky, but for those observers that are looking for something new and want to practice locating these Messier objects, March offers a great opportunity. The images below show the location of the three objects in Hydra.

Location of the Messier objects which can be found in Hyrda.

Location of the Messier objects which can be found in Hydra with constellation lines and labels.

    

    The images in the "Spot Me..." section are provided by Stellarium, a free planetarium software. Here is an updated file of the Messier Catalog. Please check back around the 15th of March for a new post highlighting the Messier objects that can be found in Canes Venatici!

Monthly Breakdown

March 01: Venus and Jupiter conjunction  
March 07: Full Moon 🌕 

March 14: Last Quarter Moon🌗

March 15: Neptune and Sun conjunction

March 17: Mercury reaches superior conjunction

March 19: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn
March 20: Vernal equinox
March 21: New Moon 🌑

March 22: Moon passes within 1° of Jupiter
March 23: Moon passes within 1° of Venus
March 24: Moon passes within 2° of Uranus
March 28: First Quarter Moon 🌓

March 28: Moon passes within 2° of Mars

March 28: Mercury and Jupiter conjunction

March 31: Venus and Uranus conjunction

     

    Remember to follow me on Instagram @CosmicLure01 to receive notifications for new posts.  You may also follow me on Twitter @CosmicLure.  

    

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos was taken by Jeff Greenland.

    

Midmonth Check-In: February 2023 and Puppis

 

Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    

    The first half of February offered observers the chance to see a rare green comet known as Comet ZTF. It hasn't been seen in the skies of Earth for approximately 50,000 years. Hopefully, the observers that have wanted to view this comet have had their chance since it is quickly dimming as it moves away from the Earth. 

    Comet ZTF and the Zodiacal Light are the major highlights for February. As mentioned, Comet ZTF may be too dim to see easily as of this posting. The Zodiacal Light can still be observed this month for interested astronomers. Simply head away from the city lights and face west after sunset. An observer should notice a pillar of light extending from the horizon to the zenith, depending on the darkness of the sky. I was fortunate enough to view both Comet ZTF and the Zodiacal Light. The comet appeared as a small fuzzy blob next to Mars through a pair of binoculars. The Zodiacal Light appeared as a column of light extending upwards from the western horizon, passing through Venus and Jupiter. I will share some of the images in a later post.

Messier Targets 🔭

    

    The Messier Catalog offers observers 110 objects to view through a telescope or binoculars. They are all easily viewable with a small scope if you know where to look. I have covered the constellations and objects best viewed in the Summer and Autumn months and will wrap up the Winter constellations with Puppis.

    The constellation Puppis will hug the southern horizon so an observer should have a clear view while facing south with no city lights or other obstructions. Below is an image of what the night sky will look like while an observer faces south after sunset.

Puppis and the surrounding constellations.

    Notice Orion (top right), an easily identifiable constellation, and Sirius, the brightest Star in the sky, and their relation with Puppis. The image below adds constellation lines and labels to help identify the stars in this region of the sky.

Night sky facing south after sunset with constellation lines and labels.

    The first of three targets in Puppis, which are all open star clusters, is M46 (aka NGC 2437) and can be located towards the left (into the Milky Way Band) of Sirius. An eyepiece that provides a wide field of view is an excellent choice for finding objects in the night sky. The image below shows the location of M46.

Location of M46 in Puppis.

    Following M46, an observer should shift their gaze to the right to find M47 (aka NGC 2422). M46 and M47 will fit into a single field of view when using a low-power eyepiece. See the image below for the location of M47.

Location of M47 in Puppis.

    The final target, M93 (aka NGC 2447) can be found below M46 and M47. The image below shows the location of M93.

Location of M93 in Puppis.

    I have also included two images to show the location of the three objects belonging to Puppis. The first image shows the night sky as it would appear in a dark location. The second image is the same only with constellation lines and labels to help identify the constellations in the night sky.

Location of M46, M47, and M93 in Puppis.

Location of M46, M47, and M93 in Puppis with constellation lines and labels.

   March's Night Sky Report will begin to highlight the Messier objects of the Spring Constellations. Hydra will be the first constellation to be highlighted. All of the above images were provided by Stellarium, a free planetarium software that can be found online, downloaded, or installed as an app on your favorite mobile device. My updated Messier list can be found here. 

     

Remember to follow me on Instagram @CosmicLure01 to receive notifications for new posts.  You may also follow me on Twitter @CosmicLure.  

    

Now get outside and look up!

Monthly Night Sky Report: February 2023

 Introduction

    January ended with snow storms and cold temperatures over much of Utah. Sadly, the clouds prohibited the viewing of the passing comet and the conjunction between Venus and Saturn. I was, however, able to watch Venus and Saturn move closer each night after sunset as well as view Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars before clouds rolled in. 

    February will offer observers the chance to view the bright planets, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars. Venus and Jupiter will be easy to spot in the western and southern sky, respectfully, after sunset. Mars is also an easy target high in the eastern sky. Mars can still be found close by Aldebaran in Taurus and Betelgeuse in Orion. The highlight this month will be Comet ZTF which appeared in our skies in January. Read on for more details!   

             

Mercury

      Mercury can be found in the morning sky just before sunrise during the first half of February. A one-day-old Moon will appear next to Mercury on the 18th. The best chance for viewing the innermost planet will be earlier in the month when it can be found rising above the Utah mountains about an hour before sunrise. As the month continues, Mercury will rise later, finding itself lost in the glow of the Sun. 

  

Venus

    Venus will likely be the first point of light an observer will see after sunset. This planet will shine brightly at -3.9 magnitude during February. Venus will climb higher in the sky each evening while Jupiter sinks closer to the horizon. This pair of planets won't reach each other until March but will be close towards the end of the month. The nearly New Moon will be found just below Venus on the 21st. Neptune will also be found close to Venus this month, with their closest approach occurring on the 14th. At this time, the distance between these two planets in our sky will be the width of the Full Moon. An observer will need dark skies and a pair of binoculars to view the most distant planet. 

    

Mars

    Mars has moved away from the Earth in its orbit and as such, has begun to dim and lose its surface detail through a telescope. The Red Planet will still outshine the nearby stars in Taurus and can be used to find some binocular and telescope-worthy targets this month. The first, and probably easier target, is the Pleiades (M45) which can be found just 10° to the right of Mars during the first evening of February. As the month continues, Mars will slowly move eastward, creating a larger distance between it and M45. The second target this month is a visitor from the Oort Cloud. Comet ZTF can be found close to Mars on February 10th and 11th. The days before the 10th, Comet ZTF can be found approaching Mars from the northeast. After the 11th, comet ZTF will continue its trek toward the southwest.  

Jupiter

Saturn

     

    Jupiter is sinking closer to the western horizon and will soon be lost from view. In the meantime, however, this gas giant is a great target for binoculars and telescopes alike. As mentioned, Jupiter will sink closer to the western horizon as Venus moves further away. The two will nearly reach other by the end of February, but their true conjunction won't occur until March. A nearly New Moon will join Jupiter on the 22nd. 

    Saturn will have a short life in February. The Ringed Planet can be found hugging the western horizon shortly after sunset. By the 16th, Saturn will reach its conjunction with the Sun and be lost from view until March, when it returns to the morning sky.  

   

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    The two outermost planets can be viewed through a pair of binoculars but will look their best through a telescope. Uranus will continue to be found in Aries this month. An observer can view this planet by going to a dark sky site and using a pair of binoculars or a larger instrument. The Moon will be found below Uranus on the 24th and above a day later on the 25th. 

    Neptune can be found by using Venus as a guide. On the 14th, the pair of planets can be found about the width of a Full Moon apart. The most distant planet will be just to the northeast of Venus and can be seen by using a pair of binoculars at a dark sky location. Neptune will sink closer to the western horizon, making it a difficult target in late February. The thin crescent Moon will join Neptune in the sky on the 21st.

Comet Watch and the Zodiacal Light 

   February does not offer a major meteor shower but will bring a comet and the Zodiacal Light. Comet ZTF, last seen in Earth's skies roughly 50,000 years ago, can be seen by the naked eye if an observer can travel to a dark sky location. Comet ZTF can be found near Mars on the 10th and 11th and near Aldebaran in Taurus on the 14th. This comet will appear brighter at the beginning of the month and will dim with each passing day, so don't wait until the end of the month! I am hoping to capture some pictures of Comet ZTF during the first or second weekend in February. It will be a battle with a nearly Full Moon on both of those weekends, however.

    Observers may also catch the Zodiacal Light this month. this dim light can be found rising above the western horizon after sunset. The best time to view the Zodiacal Light will be on the 11th. Like the comet, observers should get to a dark sky location, free of most if not all light pollution, to view the Zodiacal Light. 

Spot Me....🕵️  

    In the first part of February, observers should focus on Canis Major, home of the brightest star in the sky, Sirius. Below is an image from Stellarium of what the night sky will look like, facing towards the southeast, during the first part of February shortly after sunset. 

The night sky as an observer faces south/southeast after sunset. Notice the bright star, Sirius.

    Below is the same image as above only with constellation lines and labels to help observers orient themselves with the sky. 

Canis Major and the surrounding constellations.

    Canis Major houses only one Messier Object, M41 (aka Little Beehive Cluster, NGC 2287). Like the Beehive Cluster (M44) in Cancer the Crab, the Little Beehive Cluster is an open star cluster. The Little Beehive Cluster can be found by first locating Sirius with your binoculars or telescope. After finding the brightest star in your field of view, move your scope toward the center of the body of Canis Major. Located at about the location of a heart in a real dog, an observer can find M41. See the images below for the location of M41.

Location of M41 in Canis Major.

Location of M41 in Canis Major with constellation lines and labels.

     

    

    The images in the "Spot Me..." section are provided by Stellarium, a free planetarium software. Here is an updated file of the Messier Catalog. Please check back around the 15th of February for a new post highlighting the Messier objects that can be found in Puppis!

Monthly Breakdown

February 05: Full Moon 🌕 
February 10: Comet ZTF northeast of Mars 

February 11: Comet ZTF southeast of Mars

February 11: Zodiacal Light opportunity 
February 13: Last Quarter Moon🌗
February 14: Venus passes within 1° of Neptune

February 16: Saturn and Sun conjunction

February 18: Moon passes within 4° of Mercury
February 20: New Moon 🌑
February 21: Moon passes within 2° of Neptune
February 21: Moon passes within 2° of Venus
February 22: Moon passes within 2° of Jupiter
February 25: Moon passes within 2° of Uranus
February 27: First Quarter Moon 🌓

February 27: Moon passes within 1° of Mars
 

 

       

    Remember to follow me on Instagram @CosmicLure01 to receive notifications for new posts.  You may also follow me on Twitter @CosmicLure.  

    

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos was taken by Jeff Greenland.