By Melanie McQuigg (Y12)
As the crisp winter air finally stops trying to freeze us and starts to yield to the first murmurs of spring, this week offers a great celestial transition. This week is marked by the slow disappearance of the Moon, which offers a clear view for the fainter wonders of our solar system to truly shine. From a rare before dawn planetary gathering for those of you brave enough to get up before 7:00 am to the arrival of this year’s most symbolic lunar phase, the heavens are constantly in motion. Whether you are a seasoned pro or just someone pointing out the shiny things in the sky, keep your eyes on the horizon. Winter is preparing its final bow and it’s a show you won’t want to miss.
Dawn Triangle – 15th of March
Early risers will be spoiled with a rare triangular display in the pre-dawn sky. The planets, Mars and Mercury will appear to be in a tight huddle, low on the eastern horizon. This duo will appear roughly 30-45 minutes before sunrise so try to blink through your “sleep haze” and look east. Mars will glow with a steady, faint orange hue while Mercury will appear to be slightly brighter but it may twinkle more as it sits in the thicker part of the atmosphere near the horizon. As they are positioned so low, you will need a clear view of the horizon as mountains or even small hills will prevent you from seeing this heavenly duo. These two will of course be visible to the naked-eye, however binoculars will help you to spot Mercury’s light amidst the growing morning twilight.
Ghostly Glow – 17th of March
On this morning, the Moon which will be in its ultra thin Waning Crescent phase will only be illuminated about 4%. The satellite will join Mars and Mercury in the sky which will create a shimmering triangle in the morning sky. This will be the best opportunity to observe a phenomenon called “Earthshine” which happens when the dark portion of the Moon glows faintly. This is also referred to as the “Da Vinci glow” and is in reality sunlight reflecting off the Earth’s clouds and back onto the lunar surface. It’s basically the Earth acting as a giant mirror for the Moon. To see this you will have to be quick and be looking up just before the sun begins to wash out the stars and constellations. You will of course be able to see this with no equipment. This will be a fleeting but magical moment that will mark the final hours of the moon’s waning lunar cycle.
Dark Sky New Moon – 19th of March
This week will conclude with a New Moon, which will occur officially in the early hours of this day. During this phase, the Moon will sit directly between the Earth and the Sun, which means that it will be invisible to us. While there is no Moon to see, we should consider its absence a celestial gift to stargazers as this will be the darkest night of the month which will make deep-sky object observation optimal. This is beacuse the lunar light would usually drown them out. Look out toward the South to find Jupiter dominating the sky like a divine spotlight or if you look West you will see Venus reaching its peak brilliance. While the naked-eye will see plenty, this is the night to dust off those binoculars or that telescope. Think of this silent , dark night as the final velvet curtain before the Spring Equinox officially opens the next season.