This week's night sky is packed with celestial treats, from a dazzling Blood Moon total lunar eclipse to a stunning planetary dance between Venus and Mercury. The bright moon will also cozy up to Regulus and Spica, making for some lovely pairings in the sky. Plus, if you're in a dark-sky spot, you might catch a glimpse of the elusive Zodiacal Light! Get ready for an unforgettable week of skywatching β here's everything you need to know.
As night falls, the bright waxing gibbous moon will shine near Regulus, the heart of Leo. The pair will be close enough to share a view in binoculars. By early Wednesday morning, the moon will appear even closer to the star. Regulus, a white B-class star 79 light-years away, lies just north of the ecliptic, occasionally getting occulted by the moon or planets.
After sunset, Venus and Mercury will appear close together in the western sky. Venus, the brighter of the two, will form a striking pair with Mercury, which will be smaller and 26% illuminated. The two planets will be just 5.5 degrees apart, making for a great binocular sight. A telescope will reveal Venus as a thin crescent, only 5% illuminated.
The full moon β also known as the Worm, Crow, or Sugar Moon β will pass through Earth's shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse visible across the Americas. The eclipse begins late Thursday night, reaching totality from 2:26 to 3:32 a.m. EDT (06:26 to 07:32 GMT) on March 14. The moon will appear red, earning the nickname "Blood Moon." The event is completely safe to view and photograph.
Look southeast in the mid-evening to see the bright, waning gibbous moon near Spica, Virgoβs brightest star. As the night progresses, the moon will drift closer. Before sunrise on Sunday, Spica will appear above the moon. Skywatchers in eastern Africa, the Indian Ocean, and parts of Australia can witness the moon occulting Spica. Use an astronomy app to check local viewing times.
Starting tonight, skywatchers in dark-sky locations can spot the Zodiacal Light after dusk. This faint, cone-shaped glow rises from the western horizon, created by sunlight scattering off interplanetary dust. Look for it below Jupiter, but donβt mistake it for the brighter Milky Way, which is visible to the northwest. The best viewing window lasts about 30 minutes after twilight.
By far, the most spectacular moon phase to look out for this week will be the full moon, also known as the Worm Moon, which will reach peak illumination at 2:55 a.m. EDT on March 14 (0655 UTC); local moonrise and moonset times will depend on your location.
This year, March's full moon will undergo a total lunar eclipse, whereby Earth's shadow engulfs the moon, turning it a deep red β "Blood Moon".
The eclipse will be visible across the Americas, with totality lasting from 2:26 to 3:32 a.m. EDT. Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to view with the naked eye, binoculars, or a telescope. Don't miss this dramatic display!
T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), popularly known as the "Blaze Star," is on the verge of a rare and dramatic outburst.
This recurrent nova, located approximately 3,000 light-years away in the constellation Corona Borealis, was predicted to erupt in a thermonuclear explosion between April and September 2024. For sky-watchers, the fact that it hasn't yet flared into naked-eye visibility is actually good news β especially since, since September, it has only been visible in the early morning hours.
Get ready, aurora chasers! A burst of fast solar wind is expected to enhance the northern lights midweek, with the best chances for activity on Wednesday night into Thursday (March 12-13). In the Northern Hemisphere, auroras could dip as far south as Scotland and similar latitudes, while in the Southern Hemisphere, skywatchers in southern New Zealand may catch the glow.
Geomagnetic conditions are forecast to reach G1 minor storm levels, with a chance for G2 moderate storm intervals, meaning auroras could be brighter and more active than usual.
As always, dark skies away from city lights will give you the best chance to see the aurora. Fingers crossed for clear weatherβhappy aurora hunting!
If you're interested in tracking space weather and knowing when and where to spot auroras, download a space weather app that provides forecasts based on your location. One option I use is "My Aurora Forecast & Alerts," available for both iOS and Android. However, any similar app should work well. I also use the "Space Weather Live" app, which is available on iOS and Android, to get a deeper understanding of whether the current space weather conditions are favorable for aurora sightings.
Photographer Lisa Shislowski shared this stunning lunar image showing both "lunar X" and "lunar V" during the waxing crescent moon last week.
"On a clear evening from my back patio in Plantation, Florida, the Waxing Crescent moon was almost half lit up in the evening sky,"Shislowski told Space.com in an email. "As I zoomed in with my Canon straight above, I first saw the "Lunar X" and then above it a bit, along the line between light and dark was the "Lunar V."
Lunar X and V are interesting optical features on the moon visible for only about four hours during the First Quarter Moon phase, when the moon's terminator β the line between light and dark on the moon β is positioned just right to highlight the features. The letter X is created by sunlight illuminating the ridges between craters La Caille, Blanchini, and Purbach. The letter V is created by sunlight illuminating crater Ukert, along with several other smaller craters.
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