Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday March 11th and 12th, 2024 written by Joe Slomka

This is the Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday March 11th and 12th, written by Joe Slomka.

Now that Daylight Saving Time is in effect, the Sun sets at 6:58 PM; night falls at 8:32. Dawn begins at 5:38 AM and ends with Sunrise at 7:12.

The Moon resides in western Pisces on both nights. Monday’s one-day-old Moon rises at 7:58 AM, 18° high, 33 arc-minutes, 4% illuminated, and sets at 8:53. Tuesday’s rises at 8:21, 32° high, 10% lit and sets at 10:13 PM. On Monday evening, Mercury, the Moon and Jupiter appear to line up, best seen at about 7 PM.

Mercury is the first to rise in Pisces at 7:43 AM, glowing with minus 1st magnitude, almost 6 arc-seconds, 89% lit, 9° high at 7 PM and sets at 7:51 PM. Giant Jupiter is next, sharing southwestern Aries with Uranus; rises at 9:23 AM, simmering with minus 2nd magnitude, large 35 arc-second and sets at 11:15 PM. Monday, the Great Red Spot (a giant storm) is telescopically visible at 10:20 PM. Tuesday, one can see the moon Io begin to cross the planet’s face at 4:07 AM, followed by the Great Red Spot at 4:08 AM. Uranus follows 6 arc-seconds behind Jupiter, rising at 9:38 AM, shining with 5th magnitude, 3 arc-seconds, 51° high at 7 PM and sets at 11:50 PM.


Mars is the first morning planet, rising in southeastern Pisces at 6:11 AM, glittering with 1st magnitude, 97% illuminated, 8° high at 7 AM and sets during daytime. Eastern Venus shares Aquarius with Saturn; still close to the Sun, it rises at 6:32 AM, blazing with minus 3rd magnitude, 10 arc-seconds, but only 5° high by 7 AM, 93% illuminated. Tuesday finds Mars and Venus only 8° apart. Saturn peeks over the horizon. Only 10° from the Sun, it rises at 7:03 AM, 1st magnitude, 15 arc-seconds and sets at 5:54 PM. Saturn is very difficult, observers must take great care not to accidently see the Sun; Saturn will be higher in the coming weeks.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is still visible; rising in northwestern Andromeda, it rises at 5:38 AM, by 7 PM it shines with 6th magnitude, 90% illuminated, 33° high and sets at 10:39 PM. Comet C/2021 S3 (Panstarrs) is found in the Southeast, glowing with 7th magnitude, 86% lit, rises at 1:56 AM 32° high at 5 AM and sets in the afternoon.

A chain of stars wraps itself around Polaris, the Pole Star; this group is the constellation Draco, the Dragon. Draco is ancient, going back to the Mesopotamians. Most legends picture dragons as we do, with horns, wings and multiple heads. Several Greek legends have the dragon guarding the Golden Apples or the Golden Fleece. In our night sky, Draco seems to continue his role as guardian of the Pole Star. However, when the Pyramids were built, Thuban, one of Draco’s stars was, itself, the Pole Star. Several of the Pyramids were oriented to it.

Clear Skies Joe Slomka