Skywatch Line Archive

This is the Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday March 27th, and 28th, written by Joe Slomka. The Sun sets at 7:16 PM; night falls at 8:52. Dawn begins at 5:09 AM and ends with the Sun rising at 6:45. The Moon is found in the West on both nights. Monday’s Moon, in Taurus, rises at 9:59 AM, 30 arc-minutes in size, 40% illuminated, 52 degrees high at 9 PM and sets at 2:20 AM, Tuesday. Tuesday’s First Quarter Moon migrates to Gemini, now 50% lit, 29 arc-minutes, 62 degrees high at 9 PM and sets at 3:13… Continue reading

This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Friday, March 24, through Sunday, March 26, written by Sam Salem. On Friday, Sun rises at 6:52am and sets at 7:12pm; Moon rises at 8:21am and sets at 10:59pm. Venus, at magnitude –4.0 in the constellation of Aries, is the “Evening Star” shining brightly in the west during and after dusk. It sets about 2 hours after dark. On Friday, the crescent Moon shines above Venus during and after twilight. On Saturday, the waxing crescent Moon shines higher above Venus, just a couple degrees from the Pleiades. Mars crosses from the horns of… Continue reading

This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Wednesday and Thursday, March 22 and 23, written by Alan French. The Sun rises at 6:55 A.M. on Wednesday and sets at 7:10 P.M. On Thursday it rises at 6:54 and sets at 7:11. This Thursday has 20 ½ minutes more daylight than last Thursday. The Moon was new early Tuesday afternoon, so a slender crescent Moon will be visible toward the west just after sunset. You’ll need a good view to the west to spot the Moon Wednesday night. At 7:50 P.M. the Moon will be 6 ½ degrees above the western… Continue reading

This is the Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday March 20th, and 21th, written by Joe Slomka. The Sun sets at 7:07 PM; night falls at 8:43. Dawn begins at 5:22 AM and ends with the Sun rising at 6:57. Monday’s Moon rises in western Aquarius 6:47 AM and sets at 5:58 PM. Tuesday’s New Moon, now in western Pisces, rises at 7:11 AM and sets at 7:15 PM. Because the Moon lies very close to the Sun on both days, the night is dark from Sunset to Sunrise, permitting astronomy, weather permitting. Observing planets requires good timing.… Continue reading

This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Friday, March 17, through Sunday, March 19, written by Sam Salem. On Friday, Sun rises at 7:04am and sets at 7:04pm; Moon rises at 5:04am and sets at 1:56pm. The day and the night are almost equal on Friday (daylength is 11 hours, 59 minutes, and 36 seconds in Schenectady). However, Equinox will not arrive until Monday. Equilux is the word used to describe the day on which day and night are equal. The Equilux happens a few days before the Spring equinox and a few days after the Autumn equinox. The exact… Continue reading

This is the Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday March 13th, and 14th, written by Joe Slomka. Now that Daylight Savings is in effect, the Sun sets at 6:59 PM; night falls at 8:34. Dawn begins at 5:35 AM and ends with the Sun rising at 7:10. Monday’s Moon, in Libra, rose at 12:44 AM, by 5 AM it was 23 degrees high in the South, 31 arc-minutes in size, 69% illuminated and set at 10:01 AM. Tuesday’s Last Quarter Moon rises at 1:58 AM in southeastern Scorpius, the same size, 58% lit, sets at 10:42 AM, is… Continue reading

This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Friday, March 10, through Sunday, March 12, written by Sam Salem. On Friday, Sun rises at 6:16am and sets at 5:55pm; Moon sets at 7:42am and rises at 9:23pm. Daylight-saving time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday for most of North America. Clocks spring ahead an hour. Venus and Jupiter continue to move farther apart in the western evening twilight. They will be 9 degrees from each other on Friday. Venus and Jupiter shine together in the west at dusk. Venus is the brightest at magnitude –3.9. Jupiter, at magnitude –2.1. Venus is… Continue reading

This is the Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday March 6th, and 7th, written by Joe Slomka. The Sun sets at 5:51 PM; night falls at 7:25. Dawn begins at 4:48 AM and ends with the Sun rising at 6:22. Monday’s Moon rises, in southeastern Leo, at 5:03 PM, 100% illuminated, 30 arc-minutes in size, 30 degrees high at 8 PM, 57 degrees highest at midnight and sets at 6:44 AM on Tuesday. Tuesday’s Moon is officially “Full” at 7:40 AM, rises in eastern Virgo at 6:07 PM, 51 degrees highest at midnight and sets at 7:03 AM… Continue reading

This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Friday, March 3, through Sunday, March 5, written by Sam Salem. On Friday, Sun rises at 6:28am and sets at 5:47pm; Moon sets at 4:59am and rises at 1:51pm. On Saturday, look to the east and watch the bright waxing gibbous Moon forms a tall isosceles triangle with Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation of Leo, and orange Gamma Leonis, or Algieba. On Sunday, the Moon, only a day and a half from full, shines between Regulus and Gamma Leonis. Use binoculars if the Moonlight is too bright to watch them. Watch… Continue reading

This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Wednesday and Thursday, March 1 and 2, written by Alan French. The Sun rises at 6:31 A.M. on Wednesday and sets at 5:44 P.M. On Thursday it rises at 6:30 and sets at 5:40. This Thursday has just under 20 minutes more daylight than last Thursday. As darkness falls Wednesday night Venus and Jupiter will be a lovely sight in the western sky. At 6:30 P.M. the pair will be 20 degrees above the horizon and just over ½ degree apart. By Thursday night at 6:30 Jupiter will be just under 1 degree… Continue reading