Late Winter Stars, Moon & Planets
Organised by : South Downs Planetarium
The late winter is a time of change in the night sky. The winter stars are fast disappearing into the west and the less prominent springtime stars are rising in the east. Indeed, when the nights are clear and crisp there is a hint of renewal.
The magnificent Orion, the Hunter, is on display as soon as darkness falls, but it is fast disappearing into the evening twilight. Orions brightest stars, the orangey-red Betelgeuse and the blue-white Rigel are nicely on view, as are the distinctive three stars of Orions Belt, all in a line. The famous Orion Nebula, nestled below the Belt, invites observers to marvel at its intricate tendrils of gas and dust, a stellar nursery where new stars and planets are born. The three stars of the Belt point down to Sirius, the Dog Star, brightest star in the night sky, and usually flashing many colours as it twinkles.
Orion is surrounded by bright stars and famous constellations. These include Taurus, the Bull, where one finds the brilliant planet Jupiter, King among planets, and Gemini, the Twins, where the distinctive Red Planet Mars may be found. Mars is fading now as its distance from Earth increases but it is still quite obvious. Venus, which has been so brilliant in our evening sky all winter disappears into the evening twilight in mid-March, but will reappear as a splendid early morning object before dawn in April.
Towards the east, Leo, the Lion, is rising. Leo, with its iconic sickle shape resembling a lion's mane, is home to the star Regulus, also known as the "Heart of the Lion. Above Leo, the saucepan-like shape of the Plough or Big Dipper is becoming more obvious, probably one of the best known star patterns in the northern night sky. The stars of the Plough, which are the brightest members of the Great Bear, may be used to find the North Star.
The Moon will be full on Friday, 14th March (the so-called Worm Moon) and there will be a total eclipse of the Moon visible from North America but sadly the eclipse only begins as the Moon is setting from the UK. However, at the following New Moon on Saturday, 29th March there will be a partial eclipse of the Sun visible across the entire UK. Come to the Planetarium for a fascinating guided tour of the late winter night sky.